Tears of an Angel
by Hot4Gerry
Summary: Safety. At last they had safety. With time to explore their new relationship will Raoul and Christine find they are more friends than lovers? How does one right a wrong between star-crossed lovers? R&R Erik/Christine
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first attempt at an Erik/Christine story. I was a little nervous about starting. I am not an E/C shipper by any means although I have read many good stories with them ending together. **

**A good friend who shares my passion for Gerard Butler and POTO feels very strongly about E/C. She kept nudging me to try my hand at giving them a happy ending. So, for her I began Tears of an Angel. **

**I don't have any idea where it is going but then I hardly ever do when I begin. I just let my fingers go where they will guided by whatever character is in my mind. **

**So here is your story Mommaduck1. This one's for you. Enjoy.**

**Tears of an Angel by Hot4Gerry**

**Chapter One**

**The Knight Arises **

Raoul sat in front of the roaring fire with his feet outstretched. Another evening had ended in the way they had all been ending lately. He would come home after visiting with Christine at his Aunt Rebecca's then sit here in this same chair wondering how the hell his life had gotten so complicated.

It was simple really. He had seen Christine and memories of their childhood had overwhelmed him. She had reminded him of happier times. She had also appealed to the side of him that always had loved playing the knight, the hero. If anyone had needed rescuing it had been Christine.

Those carefree days of his youth had been some of Raoul's most memorable to date. Now his life consisted of managing the family's finances, keeping up appearances with his peers while trying to keep an unhappy fiancée from committing some unpardonable sin as she missed the man who had almost killed the one she should be concentrating on, him, Raoul.

At one time, patron to L'Opéra Populaire could have been listed as another responsibility. Thank God the fire had given him a respite from that duty. He had little to thank his memesis for but he gladly would surrender all rights to his box at the opera and the accompanying duties that came with it.

It wasn't that he disliked the opera, it had more to do with the responsibility of making everyone happy while dreading every party where he had to play the 'oh so proper noble'.

Over the last year Raoul had tried to give Christine what he thought she wanted but it had never been enough. Her dreams he knew were still filled with her Angel of Music. He could tell even during the day her mind would wander where he could not go with her.

Raoul felt he could never measure up to the idea of her one time tutor. Who could measure up to the Opera Ghost and Phantom of the Opera? The man had been impressive even while being driven by insanity. His incredible story alone would fill a book with such sensational heartbreak that it would likely melt the hardest of hearts.

He had watched Christine closely over the ensuing months as well as listened to her. At first he had been so enamored of her that he missed the many references to her days at the opera, her time with her tutor in particular. Gradually he did take notice of the number of times she mentioned him or repeated something he had taught her.

Over time Raoul's affection for Christine had settled into more of a deeply caring friendship than a love affair. He never tried to take more than a light kiss upon her lips. One would think that after a year he would be frothing at the mouth to have her. His passion had cooled over time just as he thought Christine's had cooled. He knew she would never confront him with her changed feelings but could not bring herself to offer more encouragement to further their relationship.

Having time to relax after the danger had been declared over, Raoul had then been beset by doubts. His chivalrous nature always had been fired by a damsel in distress.

The ensuing months had opened his eyes as to the true nature of his relationship with Christine. He had not mentioned anything about setting a wedding date but then neither had she. Would not a woman in love begin to make subtle and not so subtle suggestions as to when she might begin planning their big day?

Christine would always hold a place in his heart but not the place one put lovers. He loved her but could say honestly he did not love her in the way of lovers. Both of them had cooled considerably since Paris.

He felt almost the same certainty that Christine did not love him as a potential lover either. As much as he hated to think it, Raoul had come to the conclusion Christine pined for her angel.

Now all he had to do was figure how to get them both out of this mess and find Christine's Angel of Music. Why for God's sake could the man not have at least called himself something like I am your guardian Raphael or something similar? Raphael he thought a perfectly nice name, or Oscar, he had liked that name when he had named his pet turtle at the age of six.

All that ghost and phantom business did not lend one to trust he could even take care of a wife should he find one. Raoul knew he must have money hidden someplace as the man had extorted 20,000 francs a month over many years from every manager of the opera house, _his_ opera house, as the Phantom had been fond of saying.

Raoul had come to think differently about Christine's angel as distance leant him a clearer picture of the man's life. If he had not had his family and their wealth behind him Raoul honestly did not know what sort of man he might have become.

Wealth had afforded him the opportunity to be generous as well as the wherewithal to be a gentleman. All his life, his mother and father had preached to him to be kinder to those less fortunate and give help when and where he could.

These last few months watching Christine pretend to be a person she was not had him rethinking many things. He could marry Christine and they would have a life no happier or sadder than many other noble's or people of certain economic means.

Raoul wanted a grand passion not simply being accepted because it was expected or she felt honor bound by her promises to him.

No one had any blame in this mess he now found himself in. He would have sworn on a stack of bibles that he and Christine were meant to be. At the time he had been fighting a ghostly adversary for her hand it had seemed to be that grand passion.

They had even sung to one another as they had as children pledging their love to one another. Now he concluded it had been Christine's fear of the emotions her tutor brought out in her more than any love she felt for him that had let her to commit herself to him that night on the rooftop of the opera house.

He could not help but wonder if he had not come back into Christine's life if she might not have eventually come to accept her tutor's offer of lasting devotion and love.

That last night on stage Raoul had been stunned by the electricity that had seemed to crackle whenever Christine and the Phantom had sang to one another. When they touched Raoul had thought the house would catch on fire from all the passion going from one to the other. Of course later it had burned to the ground.

Such passionate responses had not seemed as if they came from an innocent sixteen year old virgin. Raoul would stake his life that Christine had never been touched in that way by anyone.

That night though he had had a moment of doubt as the Phantom had caressed Christine in the way a man caresses a familiar lover. Christine had responded not like an innocent but as a woman who had known such touches before. Her passionate response had caused him to wonder just what had taken place the first time Christine had been taken below the opera.

Down underneath the burning opera house that last night, Christine had given her angel two kisses. At the time Raoul had felt she only gave them as a way to influence the man so he would not kill the man she supposedly loved. The man had angrily confessed to never knowing the joys of the flesh. Christine had not doubted him or decried his denial of women. Over time Raoul had known with almost complete certainty Christine had remained chaste. The only way to prove such a thing would be on the wedding night. Raoul needed no such proof.

He had asked himself many times why had she gone back and given the man a ring that was not even his. Those long lingering glances over her shoulder now had a different connotation than merely a last good-bye. Now he thought she had gone back hoping to give the man a second chance to claim her. In his misery he had not realized what her intent had been.

Raoul could never hate Christine for not loving him as he had wanted. Perhaps if she had felt more for him he would have let his own emotions have free reign. As it was her reticence had fueled his own.

Really there was a simple solution to all of this. All he had to do was locate Madame Giry. She no doubt would know where the man of the hour had gone. Even though she had betrayed this Opera Ghost, Raoul thought that one night of betrayal did not wipe out over twenty years of loyal servitude. Also there was the matter of how Madame had saved a little boy who had been condemned to die in captivity while being abused worse than an animal. For that alone the man would have a debt that may never be considered paid.

Now that his decision had been made Raoul could not wait for morning to implement his plan. He surged up from his chair going into the hall shouting out commands to servants who had come running as they thought surely Master Raoul had been under some sort of attack.

Within the hour Raoul had been on his way to Paris. He would be seeking out his solicitor as well as some private detective. He felt excitement surging through his veins as it had not in quite some time. Being sheltered by doting parents Raoul always looked for excitement. It shamed him to think he may have separated two lovers destined for that once in a lifetime love affair only because he felt chivalrous and had duped himself into believing his heart belonged to Christine.

He must make this right.

**A/N: So is this believable? I am really on shaky ground here. All my ideas thus far had been Erik/Meg or Erik/OC. I'll do my best to make them strong, likeable characters. Raoul will never be anything other than honorable in my stories. I like his character and will not defame him if I can prevent it.** **Please read and leave a review if you will. Love those reviews. **

**A/N: Please read my other Phantom story Birds of a Feather in the movies forum. I may move it if I don't get enough hits on the movie forum.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: As I am posting two stories I will now begin to post them on different days that you, my readers can keep up with them. Tuesdays will be TOAA posting day and Fridays will be BOAF posting day. Enjoy both and review when time permits. Thanks to all those who have already.**

**Chapter Two**

**Yearnings**

Christine sat looking at the note one of Raoul's servants had left for her. She had reread it several times not understanding his reason for such an abrupt departure.

He had not mentioned any business in Paris. In fact he had been bored as of late as he had everything running so smoothly he only had to oversee things once or twice a week. He had complained of being bored.

Her first inclination had been that Raoul went to seek out another woman. One who did not mope about all day thinking of some other man giving the man she supposedly love less attention than she gave her shoe.

Knowing Raoul as she did Christine quickly dismissed the thought of some other woman. He would come to her first if his feelings had changed. That was the kind of man Raoul had become. A man she should love with all her heart but could not as another had kept most of it the night she left the opera house.

Thinking back she could now admit that she had known her Angel of Music had been a man long before he had taken her to his mysteriously wonderful home beneath the opera house.

It shamed her now to think of how she had forced him to stay in the shadows for so long. If she had not been so childishly immature perhaps she could have done things differently.

Even now she shivered with a mixture of fear and something as yet unknown to her. With Raoul she felt something similar but her insides did not quiver and burn when only hearing his voice.

The last couple of years things between her shadowy teacher and her had been changing. Madame had encouraged her to speak to him more during their lessons. At the time she had been far to shy and in awe of his magnificent talent she could only express how she felt in song.

Whenever she thought of him living down beneath the ground all alone it pained her physically. How she wished now she had questioned Madame Giry more about him. They had been parted so abruptly that she felt the loss every single second. The only names she knew to call him were not his Christian name.

Perhaps he did not have one. In all the years she had been at L'Opéra Populaire there had never been a whisper of any other name than Opera Ghost or Phantom of the Opera. To her he had been the Angel of Music.

She and Madame had come to a sort of silent understanding that her angel and the two entities that haunted the opera house were one and the same. Madame had not encouraged questions about the hidden genius willing to teach an orphan how to become the greatest soprano in all of France.

Christine could say with fervor how much she missed her old life. She had not seen or heard from Madame or Meg in all this time. That pained her almost as much as not seeing or hearing the man who she thought now held her heart within his murderous hands.

In the immediate days after leaving the opera house Raoul had thought it best if they leave the country for a time. London had been pleasant as a change from all the dark drama in Paris but she had missed her old life and the two women she considered her only family.

Christine did not let Raoul know how badly she missed her angel although she thought he knew anyway. He would never

say anything to her but she often felt his keen look directed at her especially on those days when she ached to

her very bones just to hear her angel's voice if even for a

moment. It had become impossible not to show some of what

she felt in a visual manner.

Christine sighed dispiritedly. What a mess she had created by being so frightened of those feelings she had felt for a man other than Raoul. She had been so certain of how she felt about Raoul that any other feelings for her angel had been dismissed or buried deeply to fend off the shame they brought with them.

How can a woman love one man while having such lustful yearnings for another? Christine squirmed uncomfortably as she recalled how it had felt to feel those strong fingers and hands caressing her as no other man had.

With Raoul things had been much different. She had taken for granted what she felt when within his arms was the grand passion every talked about. Once her angel had taken her below and showed her the magic of his touch conflicting emotions had begun to assail her.

By the time Don Juan Triumphant premiered she had been so confused and frightened Raoul had been able to convince her that his plan was the only solution.

If she thought it would not hurt him she would tell Raoul how things had changed. Every night dreams came with ever increasing clarity. It did not take a genius to decipher what her subconscious mind had known all along, she loved her angel beyond anyone or anything.

At least with Raoul gone she would have a few days reprieve. For however long he remained gone she did not have to keep a brave face on for anyone. Raoul's aunt left Christine to her own devices unless she felt in need of company. Rebecca de Chagny was a very kind woman who could sympathize with Christine's anxiety about attending so many society functions while knowing ever eye would be watching for any sign of vulgarity due to being in the entertainment business.

Rebecca had been a dancer when she had met Raoul's Uncle Damien. The family had joined ranks against his choice of a bride. Eventually Rebecca had won a few of them over as she had devoted her life to her husband and family with not a whisper of scandal in over twenty-five years of marriage.

Raoul had an easier time of it as he had Rebecca and her husband behind him. For whatever reason Monsieur and Madame de Chagny, Raoul's parents had taken a shine to Christine so half the battle had been won already.

His parents immediate support and approval she felt to be another burden she must bear. How could she betray their trust by denying their son's affection? To turn away from Raoul now would be tantamount to declaring he had risk all for nothing when rescuing Christine from the clutches of a man everyone perceived as a madman.

Even Christine had thought him only to be a crazed evil being after he had killed Joseph Buquet then Piangi during the performance of Don Juan Triumphant.

As time had passed and things calmed she had been able to see that the life lived underneath the opera house had not given her angel the opportunity to explore normal relationships.

Still she could hear his pitiful declarations and pleadings whenever she opened her mind to him. In sleep she had no defense against his voice in her head nor did she particularly care to silence him.

These last few weeks the dreams had begun to change from pleading to something more like commanding. She felt as if he called to her nightly luring her into his outstretched arms.

If something did not resolve this conflict within her Christine felt she would go mad. To tie herself to one man out of gratitude while loving another would be a horrible fate for them both.

_**Oh my Angel where are you? What has befallen you because I took the coward's way out? I do not feel the emptiness inside me that I am sure would be there if you were dead so you must still be with me in spirit at least. **_

_**If only I could go back and change things. If Raoul hadn't…but no, I cannot place the burden for my weakness of character on him. He did only what he thought right at the time. Nobility is not only in his title, Raoul has nobility of character as well. **_

_**Whatever has befallen those I love I will take the burden and blame solely. Even my angel was a pawn of sorts in the innocent game I played pitting one man against another. **_

_**I should have sought out the man who claimed my heart yet instilled such fear in me I could not see myself tied to him forever. I should have tried to speak to him. If I had maybe so much tragedy could have been avoided. **_

_**Now I realize that if we had time we could have perhaps at least salvaged a long association without so much death and destruction left in our wake. **_

_**Raoul please, please come home soon. I need your strong shoulder as well as your kindness to bolster me while I sort out what I should do. **_

Aunt Rebecca coming into the room to invite Christine to the parlor for tea took Christine's mind away from her dismal memories and let her push aside her troubles for a little while longer.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know it isn't Wednesday but I am anxious for reviews to see how this is going. I am still not sure if I did Erik and Christine justice. I finished the story a couple of days ago. Wasn't really happy with the ending. I hope I didn't rush things. My stories seem to be getting shorter in chapters. I think it has something to do with a friend who went to a writer's seminar. They said a book should only be around 100,000 words. Any more is just filler in their opinion. **

**Well let me tell you it is hard for me to condense everything down and get everything explained properly. I am glad I got a few responses to my question as to whether to continue posting both stories or not. The concenses is that yes I should post both. So thanks to all who gave an opinion in a review or personally. **

**Chapter Three**

**Angel Weeping**

_**Oh Lord**_, _**Crystal thought with irritation, the man is at it again. Weeping for hours as he plays. It just isn't right. If she offered once she offered a hundred times to bed the man and be done with it. Perhaps if he had another to capture his interest he'd forget that little soprano. **_

_**He'll have none of it though. The poor man had given his heart and soul to a woman who seemed not to care whether he had lived or lay dead or dying in some hovel. **_

Looking around at her spacious bedroom it could in no way be classed as a hovel. Her former home, now that had been a hovel. The stables behind the opera house had been fine for horses but a little less hospitable for humans when living there permanently.

Her former home now lay in a heap of ash behind a similar heap of ashes that once had been the opera house. Living in a not often used tack room Crystal had slept in the small room at the back of the stables for two years.

She hadn't minded really. At least it had been a roof over her head. The paltry sum she earned cleaning the public rooms of the once grand L'Opéra Populaire had been only enough to buy food for a couple of meals per day.

It had never been her plan to work so hard for so little. A few years ago she had been the only daughter of a fairly wealthy family.

Once financial disaster struck her father had done the cowardly thing and took his own life leaving Crystal and her mother to fend for themselves. If Crystal had not had her mother she too might have done herself in.

It hadn't taken the wolves knocking at the door long to begin making demands for repayment which naturally she and her mother could not do had they wanted to do the honorable thing. Being thrown from ones family home is never a pleasant experience but even less so when the daughter of the banker doing the tossing had been a close friend.

Once the money had been gone, so had everyone who knew Crystal's family disappeared with one excuse or another why they could not visit or help a dear friend in need. They deserted Crystal and her mother like rats jumping from a sinking ship.

When Crystal had found Erik at first she had thought he had been one of the unlucky ones who had attended the opera that night. Once she had dragged him to safety it hadn't taken a mastermind to figure out who the man was. Knowing how violent he had been to anyone who thwarted him she had debated leaving him unbound.

He had seemed to be pretty docile in that near comatose state she had found him in. Her kind heart would not let him die in that dirty alleyway with not one soul to care.

It had taken her a few days to find a small space in one of the warehouses to make her little slice of hell in. If it wasn't the four legged rats she worried about it was the two legged variety.

She had to keep shifting the place she slept in as crates were taken away to be loaded on some ship or other. While her Phantom had recovered she had to drag their few comforts from place to place. It had been easier to drag him as he lay on the blanket. Not easy but easier.

For a man who had lived in supposed isolation with little contact with the outside world he had been pretty hefty even then. Not so bad to look at by any means. Her first good look at him by a small candle had given her quite a shock as well as touching the soft inner person she had remained even in her every man for themselves world of poverty.

Lord but she could still remember how fierce he had been once he had woken. He had nearly strangled her before he had come to his senses.

Great sobs had been torn from him once he realized who he was and remembered what he had done. In fits and starts she had told him as much as she knew about the days following the fire.

Naturally he had wanted to know what had happened to Christine Daaé and Crystal had wanted to lie but guessed that would be futile. Being who he was he could ferret out information simply doing what he did best, blending in with the shadows.

A more mistrusting person she didn't think she had ever met. It took weeks for him to trust her even a little. He seemed oddly pleased but uncertain of her ability to look at his bared face without cringing or grimacing once.

She had thought it a good thing he had been unconscious for the first day as she tended his wounds. The open wounds on his face she surmised had been caused by the rubbing of the mask he had worn for most of his life with only a few moments each day without it as he shaved. His other wounds he told her later had been from the gendarmes.

Once his strength had returned a little he had demanded she find him some sort of covering for his face as well as clothing. She had become quite adept at stealing but not on the level he demanded.

Briefly she had even considered trying to track her mother down to ask for her help but knew in her heart dear maman would not want Crystal to intrude on her new life with a new husband and stepchildren.

The man she had met had not wanted to bring another man's grown child into his home so Crystal had been sent on her way with a few francs in her pocket but little else.

Crystal and Erik, as she came to know him, started a friendship with mutual benefits. She had her needs met while only having to be Erik's face the world saw to tend to his financial matters.

Lord had she been shocked to learn just how much money that man had. It boggled her mind why he would have kept himself buried under that opera house when he could have been living a luxurious life anywhere he chose.

She didn't ask why he had chosen that life. It wasn't for her to know unless he had wanted to tell her. She had a good idea why he continued to stay after Madame Giry had brought Christine Daaé to live with her and Meg.

Crystal had to smile at the memory of her first visit to Madame's house. She had nearly fainted when Crystal had revealed just who the rich benefactor was that wished to take over the care of Madame and her daughter.

At first Madame had been adamant about not having anything further to do with the man who had brought about the destruction of her whole life just to obtain the affection of a woman.

During the hours talking while sipping tea Crystal had seen the change in the woman as well as her shy, soft-spoken daughter.

Once the two had gotten over their initial anger they had wanted to know just how Erik really faired. To them he was the Opera Ghost or Phantom of the Opera. As strange as Crystal found it Madame had not ever asked for that little boys name she had saved.

Perhaps her own youth and busy life had kept her on an impersonal level for some years toward her charge. Later it would not have seemed important or perhaps even appropriate to address him as anything other than Monsieur. That is how Erik told Crystal he had been addressed by Madame Giry just as he called her formally by Madame Giry rather than her Christian name.

Crystal grimaced as she remembered those first few months sharing a cramped domicile with Erik. Between being ill, made at the world (nobility in particular) and pining for love he had been one miserable companion.

If he was not threatening to kill her he cried on her shoulder until he could weep no more then went back to threats to hide his shame for being weak in front of her.

When she thought she had gained his trust and hoped he had come to care enough not to kill her, she had told him to get over it or let her plunge the knife in his heart for real. Not that she ever would of course because for whatever reason Crystal cared for him more than anyone she could remember.

He had not given her any reason to care yet had given her countless reasons to kick him out and care nothing for his welfare. She did care though and in his way he showed her he cared for her too. Not romantically although she wouldn't have been adverse to that as Erik had been and still was a fine specimen of manhood.

Lord the names he had called her once he had awakened enough to care that he had not one stitch on underneath his thin blanket.

Once he had further knowledge that his face had also been left uncovered his anger went beyond anyone's she had ever seen or heard.

It had taken him quite some time to settle down to only speaking through his clenched teeth for her to immediately fetch him some clothing as well as some material he could fashion into a mask.

Crystal was of the opinion that her attitude of careless disregard for how he looked had impressed him as much or perhaps more than her willingness to aid him without seeking some compensation.

Looking at him one would think he had not a sou to his name. Later she had learned just how many he did have.

Once he had recovered Erik had snuck back into the underbelly of the opera house to retrieve the bulk of his earnings. He had accounts in banks but had never been of the opinion others could safeguard his money as adequately as he could.

Within a short time they had purchased clothing, luggage, and all the things they would need to mingle among ordinary people. Erik had wanted to stay in France but Crystal had told him it would be better to seek safety across the channel then return when not every person in Paris would be looking for him.

So that is how she came to be living in this luxurious estate in Shropshire. England had suited them both very well other than Erik's continued desire to have his precious Christine returned to him.

Crystal vowed if ever she could do anything to bring that young woman into his life she would move heaven and earth to achieve that reunion. Erik deserved a little bit of peace and happiness after all he had suffered.

She wished he could be happy with her but he could never replace Christine in his heart. Crystal didn't love Erik romantically Lord knows why not, it just simply had not happened. They could be happy she thought if Erik would only give it a try. But then who wants a man to have to try to love them? They either do or do not.

Crystal had been in the company of Erik Gautier since the night nearly a year ago she had found him weak as a kitten. L'Opera Populaire had burned down just a few nights prior to her finding him in that alley half dead from hunger and neglect.

It had seemed likely he was the man all of Paris had been looking for and she had been correct in her assumption.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Final Goodbye? **

Erik leaned heavily onto the keys of his piano. The tears he had shed had already dried on his face. His eyes burned, nose ran and generally he felt too damn miserable to care. He tried not to let his misery get the best of him but at times it felt as if a black shadow hovered over him just waiting until he gave up completely before claiming his soul for the devil.

He knew it worried Crystal when he gave into his grief in this way. She drove him crazy half the time but he had come to depend on her even to a greater degree than he had Madame Giry. Madame had never been with him on a constant basis as Crystal had been for over a year now. She had seen him at his very lowest point.

The woman simply would not take no for an answer when she set her mind on something. She had declared herself his protector and none would harm him if she had to fight to the death.

He could not help the twitch to his lips when he pictured all one hundred five pounds of her fighting off some shadowy attacker.

She packed more wallop than one would believe as Erik had learned the hard way. He had not in the beginning taken to the idea of someone knowing so much about him. Personal things only his mother or wife, if he had one, should know. She had seen things and done things most would not consider proper to be exchanged between a man and woman unless related in some way.

His mother had not much cared to learn anything about him and he felt since Christine had left him that no woman would ever take her place. He could not yet categorized just where Crystal fit into the scheme of things. He knew he would trust her and that he depended on her more than anyone.

Crystal chastised him mercilessly whenever he began one of his long winded lists of complaints against the world and everything in it. She would mock him daringly. Soon she would have him almost ready to laugh at himself. He had not as yet given in and openly laughed. To do so he felt would permanently erase any hope of her ever fearing him if he hadn't already done so by his constant bouts of tears.

Lately Erik had begun to think perhaps Crystal had a point about pining uselessly for the remainder of his life for someone he could never hope to win. Christine was gone from his life forever and the sooner he accepted that fact the better. Nothing could be gained from wallowing in self-pity.

Nothing in life would be perfect. No one had everything and most of those who had plenty were never completely happy. He should be on his knees thanking Crystal daily for being the sort of person who would not step over someone of perceived lesser value than most. She had taken him in not even knowing who he was or what sort of man he had been, she had cared for him, given him a portion of her meager food supply, managed to clothe and shelter them both when Paris had nothing more to give to any of her citizens.

Crystal, Erik suspected had always been a survivor of what life had thrown her way. A woman of above average intelligence she could always come up with a solution to most of life's problems.

Being of above average intelligence himself, Crystal provided much needed stimulus for his brain. Living for so long in solitude he had rarely been able to tax his mind with any real challenges.

Over the years the managers had become so predictable he hardly bothered during the last few years to go out of his way to make his periodic appearances to frighten the opera house personnel.

Until that boy, the Vicomte had arrived things had been boringly predictable. Well if he had wanted things to change they certainly had.

He could see now just how far into his delirium he had gone while pursuing Christine. Nothing had meant anything to him other than winning her by any means. He had been willing to commit whatever act he must to have her always at his side. Sadly in the end he had lost everything.

Lord how it had hurt in those first few months. Even now it nearly killed him to think of his once majestic opera house lying on the ground in a pile of burnt out rubble. Christine had gone from his life forever, Madame Giry he could not face after what he had done, he had created no music worth recording or remembering since his great performance in Don Juan Triumphant.

Only Crystal would dare to chide him about that title for his opera, the means he had chosen to either win Christine or end everything in one final blaze of glory. Well it had not been so glorious and he had not won Christine.

If he could have known then what he now knew perhaps they could all have been spared that final disastrous attempt he had made to live as a man.

At times he could see things more clearly now and know with his mind and heart that Raoul had only done what any man in love would do. It only became something more sinister in Erik's mind when he let himself wander into his distorted outlook of reality.

Even Crystal had told him Raoul had not acted outrageously other than the fact that he had planned his attack during a performance risking far too much to capture one crazy Opera Ghost. Erik could not take exception to being referred to as a crazed ghost because for most of his life perhaps he had been.

Crystal tempered her criticisms with soothing counterpoints that showed him that he had not been totally in the wrong or unjust in some things. She alone saw both sides of things and could judge everything that happened without prejudice.

As much as she cared for him Crystal never agreed with everything he said or did. So far as he could see she had never been afraid to speak her mind in his presence. If she thought differently than he did she told him so forthrightly with no hedging or distorting things just to please him.

Once he had been able to appreciate Crystal's ways Erik had begun to think of her as a fresh breeze blowing the dust off his moldering carcass of a life. She made him see things with new eyes much in the same way Christine had when he first began to visit her. He liked the innocent outlook Crystal still had about life in general. She had not let her dire circumstances jade her view of things.

Erik could honestly say Crystal had been good for him. She had been the one to convince him to buy this estate in the countryside of England.

So far he had to say he found life if not exactly pleasant, it had at least been tolerable. Every day he felt a little happier he woke every morning. He had stopped wishing to die on a daily basis.

Slamming his hands down on the keys creating a loud discordant array of notes, Erik made the decision to begin life anew in all aspects not just in theory. He would actively begin to push Paris and all of its unpleasant memories into a place in his mind where he could close the door shutting it all away until he could deal with it all without turning into a leaking spigot.

A year of mourning over it all should have given him some relief and he felt it had but not enough that he could think of Christine without sinking into the pit of self-pity he had dug for himself.

Grief he supposed was a natural process but as Crystal had fondly told him he had taken it to a fine art. Erik knew she did not care overly much for Christine and the way she thought Christine had treated him.

Perhaps Christine had taken advantage of him over the years but he had allowed it craved it even. She had been the one bright spot in his dismal dark world.

No, he could not and would not blame anyone for what he had done other than himself. Everyone had crosses to bear and did not turn to dark deeds to claim a small piece of life's pleasantries. Only his demented mind had seen it as the world owing him for all those years of abuse.

Sighing Erik stood up. Straightening his clothing he thought now would be a good time to begin this newest phase of his life, the part where he left all the bad memories locked away then forged ahead to make happier memories with Crystal. She he knew would be overjoyed to hear he would not be wallowing in grief and self-pity any longer.


	5. Chapter 5

******Chapter Five**

******Meeting Once Again**

Raoul looked down at the paper in his hand rereading the address again. He hoped this was some ghastly mistake. To think Madame Giry and her daughter had been relegated to living in what could only be considered a hovel did not set well with him.

If Christine knew of this it would devastate her to know her surrogate mother and sister had been driven to live in such dire conditions. She would feel guilty for having been remiss in trying to contact them while she lived in luxury.

It wasn't Christine's fault she had lost contact with Madame. Raoul took full responsibility for it all. It had been his fear that the madman from the opera house would regain his mind then seek out Christine that had them traveling about running from every shadow.

Leaving the country traveling around for a while had seemed best at the time. Christine had been in such a state she had merely gone along with everything he wanted. Only when signs of distress had begun to show had Raoul reconsidered their vagabond ways. He had contacted his aunt and uncle asking for aid.

Raoul chastised himself angrily for not even once giving thought to what would happen to Madame when the opera house could no longer support any of its personnel. All of Paris had been made aware of her association with the Opera Ghost. Not many in the theatrical community would be willing to risk any association with her lest she bring along her Opera Ghost.

With the recent troubles he could imagine how hard it had been for a lone woman raising a teenage daughter in such dangerous times. His imagination showed him all too readily what sort of measures women were forced to take when their way of life changed for the worse.

Taking a deep fortifying breath Raoul climbed the four flights of outside stairs to a lone door at the top of the landing. Good Lord but this reminded him of all those stairs Christine had taken him up to reach the opera house roof. This thought had him praying he did not come face to face with Christine's Angel just yet. At the moment he was ill-prepared to face an opponent intent on ending his life.

On a lighter note his mind had the thought that he didn't care to think what it would be like to haul packages up all those flights. If at all possible he resolved to find other accommodations for Madame if he had to bring her home with him. He could not in good conscience leave two women to stay here knowing what sort of neighborhood this was.

Knocking loudly Raoul waited as he heard a series of locks being undone. When the door creaked open he saw Madame peering around the edge of the door. Evidently she recognized him for she sighed then opened the door wider.

"Lord almighty but you frightened me Vicomte. After all this time to look out my peephole and see not the bill collector but one of the last people in the world I would expect was quite disconcerting.

Oh dear, please excuse my lack of manners. It has been such a long time since we had any visitors." Antoinette stood aside to allow Raoul into her very small living space. She only had two rooms. The one they stood in combined kitchen and parlor. The bedroom she and Meg shared was behind the only door leading out of this room other than the front door.

They had a bathroom of sorts. At least it was their own not being able to share as their was not an entrance from these two rooms to the rest of the house. The bathroom had a toilet and a very small tub. The only sink was in the kitchen. Water had to be heated on the kitchen stove then carried to the bathtub.

Once Raoul had seated himself gingerly in the rickety chair he cleared his throat ready to begin when Madame took the wind from his sails by speaking first.

"Vicomte, Raoul, I think we are well enough acquainted we may use one another's first names. You may call me Antoinette.

As I was going to say Raoul, I hope nothing has happened to Christine. I worried so about…well about the two of you being found by…by a man we do not speak of too often.

Please tell me she is well. I don't think I could stand it if something had happened to her after sacrificing so much." Antoinette spoke as she wrung her hands together in agitation.

"Let me put your mind at ease…Antoinette." It did not feel right addressing her by her Christian name. He had thought of her as being in the same category as his own mother. For all intents and purposes she had been the only mother Christine could remember. Even Christine only called her Madame Giry. He had been told that Christine had not been able to break the habit from childhood as she could not at that time think of anyone replacing her mother so Madame had never been Maman or mother only Madame. In her heart Christine thought of this woman as a mother to her even if she did not claim her as such out loud.

"Christine is doing very well except…" He really didn't know how to state what he perceived as Christine's malady. He could hardly tell this woman who had been for all intents and purposes Christine's mother that Christine yearned for the man who had created such disaster in their lives.

"Raoul please just tell me. Whatever it is it can't be any worse than what I am thinking." In her eagerness to know what had happened Antoinette leaned in closer giving Raoul a better look at just how thin the woman had become.

She had been an attractive woman when he first met her. Her active profession of dance instructor had kept her fit and healthy. Now she had a pasty look to her skin. Her once shining brown hair appeared lifeless and washed out. She looked aged beyond the number of years he knew her to be.

Once he had apprised her of Christine's welfare he would make it his business to offer her his help. Being a proud woman he might have to use her affection for Christine to persuade her to accept anything he offered.

"Madame," he paused when he saw her face take on one of those familiar looks from the old days which meant some ballet rat would be receiving the sharp edge of her tongue.

"Antoinette," he felt relieved to see her lean back with a slight pleased smile on her lips as he continued, "Christine and I…well there is no way to ease into this as I am short of time. Christine and I have the highest regard for one another but have found that in the ensuing months our affections have changed.

She isn't happy. I have tried the best I could to make her content but in all honesty I must say neither of us loves the other as one should love the person you intend to marry. What we thought to be unending devotion has become more of true affection but only as close friends.

I have watched her pine every day since we left the opera house for him, her Angel of Music. Lord how ridiculous to refer to a man in such a manner. Did no one ever think to ask him for a Christian name?"

"Raoul as ridiculous as it sounds and as shameful as it may be, once that boy I brought into the opera house so long ago began to settle into his environment things changed. I did not have direct contact with him as much as I would like. He preferred to only speak through notes once he learned to write adequately.

You must understand I was young myself, trying to earn a place in the ballet corp. Then I met Meg's father and life changed once again. I had Meg then lost my husband to a long illness. I had little time for the boy I had wanted to give a better life.

It seems like one day I was caring for a child then the next a full grown man. There were gaps of time where I did not see or hear from him.

I think he left the opera house during those periods of quiet. I suppose it was on about his fifth year living in the catacombs when I realized I could not call him little fellow anymore. I felt horrible to only then realize I had never troubled myself to ask for his name. I suppose that left him feeling even less connected to the world above.

I began calling him Monsieur when we met face to face but used Opera Ghost when leaving him messages. I only spoke of him as the Phantom when referring to him in the company of the opera house staff. He did love to hear their frightened recollections of supposed sightings of him.

Nothing I say in my defense in any way pardons me from baring the burden of guilt I feel for not making a greater effort to bring him into society or at least find him a place in the opera house where he could have shared all of his talents without resorting to blackmail to get what he wanted.

Did you know that he contributed to the music that had been performed over the years? I used to think it amusing when Monsieur Reyer would find sheets of music that did not belong to him among his own attempts to compose.

I think Monsieur Reyer must have known where they came from but the compositions were so spectacular he said nothing. He would merely incorporate what the Ghost left for him into his own work. He always asked me to leave a note of thanks in box five. We never openly mentioned anything but we both knew who occupied that box.

Raoul, I swear to you had I known my charge would cause such disaster as he did I would have done more to stop him. I thought Christine would…ah but then you came along.

No one can fault you for how you reacted. Things simply got out of hand." Antoinette could not continue as her own miserable guilt overwhelmed her, the past coming all too readily to her mind.

She had been the one to lead Raoul to the staircase that would take him to the lake leading to the Opera Ghosts lair. Perhaps she had done even him a disservice as the underbelly of the opera house had many traps laid for the unwary. Raoul had almost become one more victim of the Opera Ghost.

Raoul assured her that he held nothing against her for how things turned out. If he had not been so gung-ho to catch the Phantom at any cost things may not have gone quite so badly.

Having calmed and comforted Antoinette Raoul asked about her current position of employment and Meg's as well. Had he known he would unleash another bout of tears he would have asked another question.

Tearfully Antoinette told Raoul about the last year she and Meg had struggled through. A few days after the fire she and Meg had gone back to the see if anything remained in the ruins of their former home.

Others had gotten there before them so not much had remained. Really there had been little the fire had not destroyed. What the fire missed the falling rubble had covered in tons of crushing marble, rocks and wood.

Luckily she had remembered the Rue Scribbe entrance as the back way that lead to the underground lake. They had managed to find the Ghost's home but the mob had done what they came to do. They had left nothing undamaged.

She had been lucky to find the foodstuff untouched. There had been enough to last for a few days. She had even managed to find the pouch O.G. had refilled with coins when he left it for her to buy his supplies.

Finding it filled had been another Godsend. That money had seen them through a couple of months being very frugal about their spending.

A few months later a strange woman had come claiming to have money left by an anonymous benefactor. It hadn't been much but added to the other it had seen them through a couple of additional months.

When Raoul asked if the woman had said anything about her employer Antoinette had sighed declaring that no, she had been adamant about not giving his name or where she might find him. Antoinette had known who her benefactor had been. She had not wanted to press the issue. She had been glad to know her charge had made it safely out of the burning opera house.

When they came to the end of that windfall, work had still not been found. Times were getting hard in Paris, indeed all over France. Theatres were not hiring as many performers especially the more well known ones who came at a higher cost.

No one wished to take on the Opera Ghost's former liaison. Meg could not find work even as a background dancer. When Antoinette came to the part of her tale that involved her own source of income she bowed her head in shame during the telling.

Not being able to pay the rent on the better apartment they had moved to this slice of hell. The time came when even this place had become too much of a drain on their meager funds.

The landlord had been willing to overlook payment in exchange for favors. Antoinette did not feel she needed to be more explicit with the details as Raoul would know of what she spoke about.

Being the pig that he is Monsieur Guillemot had offered to introduce her to several of his friends. So began her life into becoming a lady of pleasure, not something she had ever thought to be. If it kept Meg off the streets herself Antoinette would do it all over again.

Meg had at last been offered a job in a pastry shop. Working a few hours of the day there, at night she made the rounds of the theatres keeping in touch with some friends from L'Opéra Populaire.

Once Paris had started to return to normal Meg had been offered a position on the front row of a ballet corps at the Majestic. She worked both jobs now so they could save to relocate.

Paris no longer welcomed Antoinette after her association with the Opera Ghost had come to light. It broke her heart to see Meg work so hard but at least she had been spared standing on some street corner vying with others for some man's lustful attention.

Raoul felt even worse after Antoinette's revelations of how she and Meg had been living this past year. He had never had to worry about his next meal or where he would lay his head at night.

His largesse had nothing to do with how hard he had worked but rather how wealthy his parents were. Raoul had never been one to think of his moneyed background. He took everything in his life for granted.

The only difference between him and Christine's Angel was the fact of having been born to parents who loved him no matter what he did. He even thought if he had been hideous his parents would have loved him. Did they not still care for his Uncle Louis? That man could stop a clock at fifty paces. His eyes bulged. The man looked as if he had a red cherry stuck on his face instead of a nose. His ears were far too large for the small size of his head. His teeth, what few remained, were yellowish and quite crooked.

Raoul loved his uncle nearly as much as he loved his own father. Uncle Louis had always been known as one of society's kindest and most generous souls.

In light of the past year Raoul thought it might be wise to make his parents aware of just how grateful he was to be their son. He could just as easily have been someone else's child.

Raoul stayed with Antoinette speaking about what might be done to find their missing Phantom. She had a few ideas about who might be able to help them.

When Meg had arrived home Raoul had been shocked how much older she looked. She still had not lost all of her beauty but the light of mischief and eagerness for life had been snuffed out. In its place only a dull acceptance of whatever came filled the eyes that had seemed to have a inextinguishable light before.

She did liven up a little when he told her Christine would be anxious to see her again. After a quick confirming glance at Antoinette, Raoul asked Meg and Antoinette to come to his estate for a while.

A person would have thought he offered Meg the moon from the difference in her demeanor. It would not only benefit Christine to have her mother and sister with her. They in turn would get some much needed pampering.

Raoul conferred with Antoinette and she agreed with him that a couple of days simply visiting would work wonders on all three women.

Once they had caught up on all that had been happening they could all sit and make plans. Christine may at first protest what he wanted to do but felt in the end she would see the validity of his plan.

Raoul did not so much as twitch when all they had to bring had been one cloth bag and a bundle of possessions. The fire had left them with nothing. Money had to be used for food and housing, not luxuries.

He insisted they stay under his care until a better position could be found for both women. They could consider it a favor to him as it would make Christine happy. Whatever made her happy inevitably made him happy as well.

**A/N: Well I am getting the meds I need to get well. Hopefully all will go as it should. Thanks to all who extended thier wishes for my good health.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Tearful Reunion**

Raoul had known it would be a tearful few moments but had not expected it to last for two days. The women broke down several times into sobs. He would not enter a room where all three had gathered. To do so put his peace of mind in jeopardy. He could comfort Christine but not all three women. Seeing the change in Antoinette and Meg were compensation for any discomfort he felt. Christine also seemed happier with her family around.

Christine had not wanted ack but in the end Raoul offered to pay for a shopping expedition. At first both Antoinette and Meg refused the offers feeling Raoul had been generous enough. When he insisted that if they refused they would deeply wound him. His mother would feel shamed if he did not lend a helping hand to two women in need. He did overplay the acting a bit but it did win their acceptance. They laughingly told him they would not want to be responsible for his mother's shame.

His aunt and uncle had been sad to see Christine leave them but could understand that she wished to be with the women she considered family. The two women would act as chaperones so everything kept to proprieties dictates. At this point Raoul did not wish to add any further aspersions to her character. Everyone had judged Christine unfairly because of her profession. He knew how innocent of any wrongdoing she was but people did not care to listen to anyone who would stand up for a person's character, they preferred to let their imaginations run away with them.

On about the third day Raoul had suggested a picnic down by the edge of the pond. Watching the ducks glide along the water had always soothed him so perhaps nature would work magic on the three tearful women. It worked even better than Raoul could have hoped. Christine had even gone so far as to mention her tutor. Antoinette and Raoul had exchanged glances, neither knowing if now would be the best time to approach the matter of seeking the man out.

Having not spoken to Christine as of yet about his changed feelings nor even hinted he knew of her own, Raoul gave a discreet shake of his head. Today would be for relaxation only. Tomorrow would be time enough to discuss serious matters. First Raoul must disengage himself from Christine before approaching her about another man.

Raoul felt vindicated in bringing Antoinette and Meg into his home. Christine seemed much livelier even if she cried at the drop of a hat. If his plan came to fruition Raoul hoped to put a permanent smile on Christine's face.

He did not relish the months of gossip he and his family would endure when his broken engagement came to light. Knowing just how many eager mothers would be coming out from every corner offering their daughter up for his inspection, Raoul smiled as a few of the lovelier ladies came to mind.

Hoping to win Christine's approval he had already sent a letter to his solicitor. Old Grimly would know just how to go about things. He had been the family's legal representative even before Raoul had been born. Antoinette had made contact with a few of the people from unsavory places who had hepled in keeping the secret of the man from the shadows.

Cyrus Grimly had more contacts in every level of Parisian society as well as those who skulled about outside any known societal community. Those people lived in the streets or under them in many cases, not unlike Christine's Angel of Music. Perhaps his solicitor and Antoinette knew some of the same people.

He did not doubt for a moment that those citizens knew more about the illusive man hiding in the shadows than those directly connected with the events of last year. If he offered enough incentive he felt confident someone would be willing to reveal what they knew. Lord knows they had become tight as clams when the authorities had questioned them. If Raoul had been home at the time he likely would have offered a reward for information leading to the capture of the Phantom.

Now he could see what a fortunate thing it had been that he had been out of the country and had not wanted any news from Paris. If he had caused the man's imprisonment or death like as not Christine would never have forgiven him. At that time he would have given any amount of money to assure the capture of his nemesis the Phantom.

When he could be somewhat sure that Christine would not break down he approached her one evening with what he had to say. He asked her to walk with him in the gardens. When Meg would have come along as her duty of chaperone demanded, Antoinette had touched her arm then shaken her head as she pulled Meg back down onto her seat.

It had not been as easy as he had thought to state what had been obvious to both of them for a long time. He could tell he had shocked Christine but had not hurt her so thought his suspicions had not been wrong.

That crisis past he then approached her with his idea to find her Angel.

"Christine, I am glad we have brought all of this out into the open. I did have an ulterior motive. This part may come a little harder for me to express but I will try my best.

We both agree that our departure from Paris had been hasty with little time to delve into our feelings. What with all the excitement we rather rushed things. If we had not been in such a dangerous situation we may have come to realize sooner that we make better friends than lovers.

Christine, please pardon me if I speak out of turn here or embarrass you but it is time we speak plainly. I think you might care more for that man you left behind than you are willing to admit."

Seeing her about to protest Raoul forged on with determination, "Please listen to me Christine. I am at times a self-absorbed person, but even I can at times see what is right in front of my face.

I had evidence before of how you feel. I could see during the performance of Don Juan Triumphant that you felt something for your tutor. Don't feel you must remain loyal to me. I think we have gone past that point by now. Have we not agreed we will remain friends?

What I have in mind, with Antoinette's approval, is to search for him. If I can convince him I mean him no harm before he kills me then we all get what we want.

Once I have brought him back it is up to the two of you to work things out. I will offer my estate as your home for as long as you have need of it.

So what do you say? Shall I risk life and limb to find your Angel of Music? By the way, I must insist we find a name for him. Until we can ask the man when we find him. Personally I think I shall dub him Ghostman or perhaps Oscar. Yes, I quite like Oscar, unless you have another suggestion?"

Christine laughed lightly as he knew she would. She knew he meant no disrespect toward her friend. He could honestly say now that things were in the open he could not remain angry about anything that had gone on before. Having the burdon relieved of having to placate an unhappy woman felt like removing a stone from his back.

"Charles." When Raoul raised his brows in question she continued, "I have always liked Charles. He shall be Charles until we may know his given name. Thank you Raoul."

"For what?"

"For being such a nice person. For allowing him to be human, giving him a name. Even I did not think to ask if he had a name. I left him to his fate not caring to know his Christian name. What sort of person does that make me Raoul?"

"Christine it makes you human like the rest of us. We all have our moments when fear is the only emotion we feel or act upon. When it has hold of us we tend to focus only on that.

You and I both were frightened half out of our minds by the events from last year. I think you may be forgiven for not knowing just how to react. You did kiss him Christine. By his reaction I could tell it was a gift he had not expected but one he will cherish until the day he dies.

I am not in any way jealous, at the time I may have been, but now I am glad to know you gave him that last moment of complete joy before he lost you.

It was not a kiss between two friends. You may not have been aware of the emotions surging between the two of you but I, as an onlooker saw everything.

There was more passion in those two kisses than in any we have shared. I can speak of this without rancor or manly chest beating. I don't hold your feelings against you. We were just caught up in the moment back then. Now we have spent many months coming to know one another better and neither of us are to blame if we find ourselves not madly in love with the other."

He hurried to reassure her when she brought her hands to her face in consternation, "Don't feel embarrassed Christine. You did not know how much you cared at the time. What with his madness I can't say as I blame you for choosing me. What sane person would choose a murderer over…well in all modesty, I must say I was the better choice logically.

Let's be honest about this. If he had not played the madman we both know given time you would have fallen into his arms. There is no shame in that. Love comes whether we approve or not. We love with our hearts not our heads. I for one am very grateful for that as if ladies used their heads I might not ever find my mate," Raoul said jokingly.

"Raoul…I…I hardly know what to say. I can honestly say I doubt if there is another like you in all of Paris. What other man would offer to find the potential beau of his fiancée? Should I know think of myself as your ex-fiancée?

Oh Raoul, I must say we are quite an odd pair. You, my fiancée, rather ex-fiancée, will chase about France and England in search of a man we are not sure will even be happy to see me."

Raoul bowed his head and chuckled at Christine's naiveté. One only had to look at her to know why men would vie for her hand. How could she not know that the man who had tutored her all those years would give his life to spend one hour of time with her?

Christine had always seemed less aware than most but he had put it down to her living with her father and having no feminine influence for so many years.

These last few months he had come to think that Christine purposely shut out anything that would be unpleasant, choosing only to acknowledge the happier things in life. Not a bad thing if one is of a social background that affords one that luxury.

While Christine's life had by no means been one of wealth, she had been given more than most who found themselves in the same position.

Meg and Antoinette had both indulged her as well as sheltered her. Christine herself admitted that. It had not helped to have an overindulgent man from the shadows willing to move heaven and earth to please her.

He supposed he had added to her lack of maturing by barging in to take over her life with little thought to what she might want. Only when she had seemed to become depressed had he given it any consideration that she might miss her mother and sister, not to mention her Angel.

"Christine even you cannot be that naive. How much more must the man do to prove his love and devotion? If you demand more of him I can see why I am coming in a less than adequate second.

He will want to see you, trust me Christine. I dare say if he knew of our changed circumstances he would not stop until he had you in his arms once more.

I don't mean to be indelicate but I do think you need to prepare yourself for a man of infinite passion. He'll not be satisfied with mere pecks on the cheek or a sisterly peck to his lips. He will want fire to shoot all the way to his loins."

Christine gasped in shock, "Raoul! Do not speak of such…such intimate things. Kissing is one thing but…but…well suffice it to say nothing more is appropriate."

"Well miss prim and proper, I think we have gone beyond anything that is considered proper don't you? You need to be prepared and who better than a very dear friend?"

"It just doesn't seem right to speak of such things with you when only this morning I still thought of you as my fiancée. What would Madame Giry and Meg think?" Christine spoke primly as she pulled at the sides of her skirt to avoid looking him in the eye.

"I suppose I should be more circumspect. I may have to face your dark protector once more. I suppose it would be better to do so without ill feelings between us.

So Christine, what do you think about finding the man of the hour? You haven't really said how you feel about my proposition. Shall I brave facing the lion in his den so that you may reunite?"

Rather than answer with words Christine wrapped her arms around him then kissed his cheek. He gave her waist a squeeze only briefly regretting he could not love her nor she him. They could have led a spectacular life.

He would be satisfied just to know he had made her happy, if living with someone of her tutors temperament could be happy. If Christine did not wholeheartedly love her Angel he felt she was darn close to doing so. He should be grateful his own heart had not become involved too deeply. Now that would have been a mess.

In the ensuing weeks it seemed as if everyone had been given some sort of vitality booster. Excitement permeated the very air they breathed. Christine could not sit still for more than a few moments.

Every day she rushed to waylay the butler who carried the mail to Raoul's study. She had nearly accosted him that first day trying to retrieve the man from his very hand. Raoul had spoken to Monsieur Hebert letting him know it would be best to hand over the mail if Mademoiselle asked for it. She would bring it to him directly.

Raoul would let Christine glance through his letters as she looked for one from Monsieur Grimly. The week following their talk had been happy but left Christine's nerves frazzled.

With the prospect of seeing her Angel once more without having the need for any guilt had left her anxious to get things started. Waiting had never been an easy thing for her. When she set a goal she always wanted to accomplish it in the speediest fashion.

A month after he had set his solicitor on the Phantom's trail Raoul received the letter everyone had been waiting for. Their man had an estate in England. Raoul could not imagine the man he knew living a peaceful existance in the English countryside. He would sppn be facing the man he now thought of as Oscar. He thought he really should try to think of him as Charles but dsmissed that with silent rebellion. He would not give his past enemy complete victory over him.

Plans quickly came about to close Raoul's country estate. No one wished to be left behind. For good or bad they were on their way to come face to face with Christine's Angel of Music once again. They all witnessed the glow which lit up Christine's eyes once the journey actually had been set in motion. No one could move fast enough to suit her. If only she had wings she would fly to her love. Mentally she sent him her love and beseeched him to forgive her for her past betrayal.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Approaching Thy Enemy**

They arrived in London with little fanfare. Really it had been somewhat of a letdown not to be noticed when they were about to make an attempt to have an audience with one of Frances' most notorious criminals. Raoul could not help but think women would be impressed to know he willingly faced the madman once more just so he might rejoin star-crossed lovers.

He rather fancied himself as the dashing hero. Of course he wouldn't wish to challenge 'Oscar' in another duel. The last time he thought perhaps his opponent slipping on the snow had given him the advantage during that altercation. Who was to say if they faced off again things might go differently?

Raoul had been grateful the women had not been seasick crossing the Channel. He took this as a sign that they were in the right for surely if they were going against what God or fate decreed something horrendous would have kept them from leaving the shores of France.

They would stay in the de Chagny townhouse while in London. This would be their base of operations so to speak. Raoul loved thinking of this as some secret mission. He had always wanted to be a spy. He and his cousin used to have such fun when Raoul visited him on his uncle's estate just outside of London.

Raoul had a hard time persuading Antoinette and Christine they had a need for caution. To them the man they sought held no real menace toward them whereas the man would likely wish to strike Raoul dead on the spot.

He thought it best if he faced the man first. Christine naturally had other ideas as did Antoinette. On the morning he planned to visit the estate of their quarry he had to fend off two determined women. Meg he had been gratified to see had not joined in her mother and sister's haranguing of him. She preferred to watch from the background.

"Christine I am sure Oscar…" Raoul had begun to think of the man they had come to see as Oscar.

"Raoul he is not Oscar. He is Charles," Christine stated adamantly.

"Oscar, Charles? Who the devil are you two speaking of?" Antoinette asked them thinking the stress may have been too much for the both of them. All she needed now would be for Meg to begin seeing some person others did not see then she could have them all committed and get on with the business at hand.

"Pardon Antoinette but Christine and I decided to temporarily give her Angel of Music a real name. I liked Ghostman or Oscar, she preferred Charles."

Antoinette looked from one to the other. They wore a look of childish delight to be sparing with one another without any hard feelings about their changed circumstances. If they had lost their minds at least they had gone to a place where they were happy.

She could not help but think that Raoul had been a Godsend even if things had turned out disastrously. Christine had needed Raoul's down to earth personality as well as his easy manner toward others. His sense of fun had brought out the young girl in Christine again.

For so long she had been under the dark influence of the Phantom, now to be called Charles. Raoul had brought light into Christine's world in much the same way she had brought light into "Charles'" life. It felt odd to think of him as anything other than O.G. or Phantom.

"I won't be going alone as I have a cousin living here in London. He is an ex guardsman for the queen so I think he would be adequate to watch my back should there be a need.

Demitri de Chagny is a man always looking for adventure. Since a family crisis forced him to give up his commission in the service of the queen he has been quite bored.

I have sent a letter already and imagine he is on his way here as we speak. If I had a need of anyone to come to my aid I could find no better person than Demitri. He is a man of honor as well as skill."

They did not have long to wait for Raoul's cousin. He arrived within a few hours of their skirmish over who would be going to this meeting and who would be staying.

Raoul did not wait for his butler to show Demitri in. Bounding down the front steps to the sidewalk like an uncouth boy, Raoul jerked open the door of the cab.

He had been watching the street for over an hour hoping to spot his cousin before too long. Demitri had always been one to cut things close. Raoul knew he would come without announcing his arrival and that he would be arriving at the latest time possible without being so late as to miss anything which might be amusing.

Never had it even crossed his mind that Demitri might not come. Neither of them could resist a bit of excitement. Being sons of the aristocracy had its privileges but it also at times could be dreadfully boring and stifling.

Grabbing his cousin they embraced heartily clapping one another on the back. They stood together looking much like brothers. The women by this time had made their way to the front door.

Proper etiquette would have been to wait to be joined by the men but Raoul had not acted properly either so Christine and Meg had pulled a reluctant Antoinette out to the front doorway.

When Meg faltered in her step, Antoinette and Christine both looked at her questioningly. She stood as if frozen to the spot.

They followed to where her eyes seemed to be locked into place. Knowing that look well Antoinette took the couple of steps needed to bring herself in front of Meg. All they needed at this moment was for Meg to fall for some aristocrat who most likely had been already pledged to some noble's daughter.

Raoul turned eagerly toward his other guests to introduce them to his cousin. It didn't take a genius to ascertain Raoul and Demitri were fond of one another. The fact that they looked so much alike gave away the fact of their being related.

"Ladies I would like to present my cousin Demitri de Chagny. Demitri this lovely woman is Madame Giry, I am sure she would not mind if you address her by her Christian name Antoinette." Raoul looked toward Antoinette hopefully. Despite his grandiose claim he had not been certain she would care to be so informal with a man she did not know. Her slight smile relieved him somewhat.

Antoinette curtsied as Demitri bowed graciously over her hand to lightly brush his lips across her knuckles. He did the same to Christine and Meg. Perhaps his eyes and lips lingered a little longer on Meg.

Demitri smiled one of his winning smiles which caused Meg to blush while lowering her eyes. The hand he had kissed she placed behind her back as if to keep that brush of his lips from being erased by the touch of anyone else.

Antoinette's motherly instincts came to the fore. She had not protected her daughter from all those slavering rich fools who patronized the opera house to let some young aristocrat come in and dally with her affections then leave her when he had taken what he wanted.

Taking note of Antoinette's fierce glare toward Demitri, Raoul shot his cousin a warning glance. As he had expected his cousin shot him a cheeky grin in return. Raoul thought he might have to take his cousin aside so he could explain he was not to play any games with Meg. He'd hate to have to call his cousin out for a duel especially since Demitri had been the best shot in the Queen's Service as well as decorated hero for saving the Queen. His skills with a sword were exemplary as well.

His cousins skills partly had been why Raoul had thought of him when realizing he wished not to face 'Oscar' on his own. For all the man had joined society he still could be the same madman underneath all the outward civility.

There really wasn't much that needed explaining. Things were fairly simple. They would go to the house of 'Oscar' and make it known they wished an audience. Raoul acknowledge Christine's reprimanding correction of 'Charles' with a silent nod. When next he referred to 'Oscar' as Charles, Demitri had looked quite confused until Raoul had explained everything. Truthfully he had only looked slightly less confused.

Demitri having more experience in such delicate matters of negotiation and protocol, convinced them they should find out just a little more about this man Charles before presenting themselves for target practice.

Raoul hung his head in shame when Demitri went over the documents his solicitor had presented to Raoul. Could the man have not gone into greater detail, such as finding out the man's identity? Everyone must have a name to purchase property.

In his defense as well as Grimley's, Raoul informed Demitri they had been pressed for time. The information had not come through regular channels. If asked too many personal questions their sources may have dried up. It had been enough to find his location at the time.

Demitri implored Raoul to give him a couple of days. He had contacts who owed him favors. The kind of people he knew did not mingle with society. They took advantage of what they knew about everyone but did not rub elbows with the elite.

True to his word Demitri had found out far more than Grimley had been able to despite his underground contacts. Demitri had criminal informants in the palm of his hand. The Queen could pay more than a solicitor or Vicomte for permanent loyalty as well as hand out life sentences in prison for treason or any charge the Crown saw fit to name.

A Vicomte might purchase a little information but beyond that all he would get would be fabrication of facts which he would not know of until too late.

Raoul felt like a schoolboy who had not done his lessons correctly and the headmaster had to explain things in simple terms. He would be speaking to Grimley once he returned to France about broadening his connections and perhaps finding someone willing to be on retainer for their loyal service. It would seem even criminals had a price for which their loyalty could be bought.

Now new plans could be made. Christine felt like a field of butterflies had taken up permanent residence inside of her. He heart felt as if it would fly out of her chest at any given moment. She could barely breathe when memories of his touch, smell, his voice came to her, the voice of her Angel.

Never had another made her feel the things her Angel of Music had made her feel. As hard as she tried she could not think of him as Charles in the privacy of her mind. In fact she did not want to. What she really wanted all this time had been to be able to think of him by his true name.

In her mind she replayed a thousand different scenarios with her Angel. There were so many things they needed to say to one another. Knowing his fear of being rejected it would be her responsibility to assure him of her affections.

He may not be able to forgive her for what she had done to him. She had hopes that once she explained her own fears he might be more understanding.

If she placed her own heart out in the open that might encourage him to lay his own open to her. She prayed she had not destroyed any chance she had with him by her frightened childish reaction to him.

Perhaps if she had been a stronger, braver person she might have been able to offer him more solace than two kisses. They had been passionate for all they had been meant only as a way to show him she did not fear him, although she had, or feel disgusted by how he looked, which she had not been.

If they had ever shared that special connection romantics speak of she felt certain he would know of her presence. She herself felt lighter of heart but then she knew him to be near. Preferring the more romantic approach Christine ignored any other explanation for feeling as if at any moment she might see her Angel come to whisk her away. After that everything became sort of hazy as she had never gone further than a few kisses with Raoul. He had been her only beau.

Feeling optimistic for their future Christine sent a silent message to the man who had once been her Angle of Music and now had been named Charles to give him a human identity he had never had before, at least not with her. Christine sent her love to the keeper of her heart.

**A/N: I am doing better. As anyone with diabetes knows infection can set in and stay put when you're diabetic. Had a devil of a time getting my leg to heal. It is better so all is well, knock wood. I am still not real sure I am doing well with this story. I agonize over every chapter. Am I making it believable, are things going too fast, am I making Christine a likeable person? Erik hasn't made his appearance yet but he will soon. That rascal has given me fits as well trying to make him all Phantomy yet still likeable. Since quite some time has passed since he saw either Christine or Raoul I tried to give him a little more sanity and clarity about how things really are. Hope I succeeded. R&R Please?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: If I owned even Erik's boot lace I'd be happy but as it is I own only my original characters. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed thus far. **

**Chapter Eight**

**Lion's Den**

Raoul and Demitri had debated whether to journey by horseback or by carriage. Considering who they were attempting to have an audience with and how the last meeting had gone between 'Oscar' and Raoul it had been thought best to use the carriage.

If 'Oscar' sicked the dogs on them or tried to skewer them at least with a driver sitting at the ready to hare off as quickly as possible they might come away with no bloodshed.

Demitri had scoffed at Raoul's timidity toward his adversary. Raoul had defended himself by stating it would do no one any good if someone had to die to gain entrance into the sacred home of 'Oscar'.

Christine had let Raoul get by with calling her hopefully intended Oscar a couple of times then had roundly chastised him for perhaps the hundredth time in less than a few days.

Everyone but Christine suspected Raoul did it on purpose. At first Christine had thought it humorous to have this little display of contention between her and Raoul but as it became clearer that they might actually find her Angel, now called Charles by her, she found less humor in Raoul's continued misuse of his name.

She wanted everyone to think of the former Phantom as a man. A man who had much to offer the world if given half a chance. She wanted "Charles" and not "Oscar" to be at her side through the many years remaining to her.

Having been away from his influence for so long had made her see things with a less naïve outlook. She could sift through every moment they had spent together, everything that had happened and see how much of what happened she could have prevented had she not wanted to continue to pretend she believed him to be her Angel of Music.

With all her heart now she only wanted him to be the man she knew he could be. Not knowing if what she felt could be love or not she did wish to find out before they parted ways forever.

Once she had thought Raoul to be the great love of her life. How mistaken she had been. Her naiveté had caused the one person she did not want to hurt so much pain.

She had practically striped him bare of dignity and pride, not only in front of Raoul, but half of Paris. That wound would be hard for anyone to forgive. She could imagine it would be far harder for a man who had lived as a ghost and phantom because his face had earned him nothing but abuse his entire life.

Raoul had learned a bit about the poor boy that had the misfortune of catching the eye of a Gypsy carnival barker looking for a way to earn more coins.

It had nearly broken her heart to sit and listen to all Raoul had learned from Madame Giry. It had not been enough they caged him, no, those cruel people had beaten a small helpless little boy for the entertainment of stupid customer's willing to find amusement at the cost of another's pain and degradation.

Christine promised herself if ever she had the opportunity she would shower that man with such love and care he would know of his worth. He would know he meant more to her than a mere tutor. Even if she did not feel romantic love he did have most of her heart.

Love seemed to be the best word to describe how she felt. When she had sought council from the two women who were more family than friends they both had listened to her outpourings concerning the man they would now call Charles.

Antoinette had been closer to the situation than Meg had been but Meg had known Christine felt something for her mysterious Angel of Music even when she had believed him to be other worldly.

He had entranced her more than once with only his voice. Meg had not known who the man was but could hear the emotions in her sister's voice when she spoke of him.

Antoinette had known of Christine's association with the Opera Ghost since the day he heard her crying and praying in the chapel for her dead father.

They had shared a heart filled with pain. He had connected with the hurt the little girl who had been sobbing out in prayer. Being only some twelve years older than Christine he had still been able to remember how he himself had sobbed for his mother and father even though he could not really remember his father or barely recall his mother. He had been abandoned at the age of about five. God only knows how the Gypsies had come across him. The boy she had found in the fair that day could not remember anything before his six years of imprisonment.

More than anything Christine wanted to accompany Raoul and Demitri today. Everyone thought it best to gauge Charles' reaction to them and their proposal of seeing Christine as well as Madame and Meg.

If he felt half as anxious to see her as she was to see him nothing they could do would keep them apart. Not that anyone seemed to have any inclination to keep Charles and Christine apart. Nothing could be further from the truth. Raoul had been more supportive than she had a right to expect after what he had gone through to win her.

She could not imagine how her life would be if she had had to go through with marrying Raoul. They would have found some degree of happiness she supposed but neither would have ever felt completely happy with their lives.

Raoul being the kindhearted gentleman he was would have done whatever he could to make her feel at least contented with her life. Now that obstacle had been removed. Now all she had to worry about would be if the man she had damaged so badly would welcome her back into his life.

The hour of departure had come. Christine stood beside Madame and Meg to see Raoul and Demitri off. Standing between the two women Christine felt their silent support. When she felt their arms encircle her waist and shoulder she could not hold back her tears.

Why she should feel the need for tears if asked she could not explain it to anyone's satisfaction. Perhaps she cried in relief that finally some resolution between her and the man who had been everything to her for so long would at last be forthcoming.

Raoul sitting in the carriage across from Demitri glanced out the window to see the three women huddled together as if to offer one another comfort.

He knew Christine felt frazzled. She had been jumping at the least sound for the last few days. Today had been even worse. If one wished to speak to her they had to make certain she heard your footsteps before you spoke.

He had been reminded of those last days at the opera. Christine had been afraid to even carry on a conversation with him if in the opera house. Later he had learned she had good reason to be concerned.

To pass the time Demitri asked Raoul to tell him what he really thought of their quarry and his opinion of the man.

Raoul told him pretty much the same as had been in the report other than the personal knowledge he had gathered from a face to face confrontation with Oscar during his courtship of Christine.

Demitri found it hard to wrap his mind around anyone living in solitude for so long under such near unendurable circumstances. In his opinion he himself would have lost his mind far sooner than this man Oscar or Charles had.

He had to smile as he recalled Raoul's teasing manner with Christine. He deliberately called him Oscar in order to get a rise out of the poor girl. It did bring a sparkle to her eyes as well as color to her cheeks. For a few seconds their supposed contention afforded Christine something else to worry over other than the coming meeting.

Knowing Raoul didn't have a mean bone in his body Demitri had come to the conclusion Raoul tried his best to irritate Christine in order to take her mind off her troubles.

A picture of Meg coming all too easily to him shifted his thoughts to another area. He had to say that he had never met a woman who had so instantly intrigued him as Meg had with only a glance from her pretty blue eyes. Now if he could charm the mother he might have a chance to charm the daughter. He had a feeling this time he would not be in this for a short dalliance.

Raoul's nudge to his shoulder brought him away from his very pleasant daydream. Pointing out the window at a very impressive house Raoul unnecessarily announced they had arrived.

Raoul stepped down from the carriage with Demitri close behind. It had been decided that only Demitri would be armed. Just in case the Phantom came jumping out at them from some wall with Punjab and sword in hand.

Pulling the rope that set off a bell ringing inside the residence, the men stood looking relaxed but in reality were tensed and ready to do battle if necessary.

A dour looking man opened the door. From his cold demeanor and dress Raoul concluded he must be the butler. He had the man's twin at his own home.

"Yes? May I be of service?" Raoul considered the man a moment thinking that if his face tightened into disapproval much more his face would begin to crack.

"We are here to see the master of the house. If you would be so kind as to let us in for a moment." Raoul not used to being left standing on the stoop of any home he visited strode past the butler.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement coming from his left. He got the impression of skirts so it would not be the man he came to see.

"My name is Raoul de Chagny and this is my cousin Demitri de Chagny, former guard to the Queen. If you would be so kind we wish an audience with the master as I stated before."

Raoul got no further as he heard a curse referring to his ancestry as well as his state of birth. The next thing he knew he was tackled by a mass of flying material which smelled heavenly and that encased some very feminine and delectable curves.

Rolling around as they struggled to be the one on top, Raoul heard Demitri laughing his head off in the background.

Gaining the upper hand at last Raoul straddled the woman he held with wrists above her head as she heaved beneath him. His own chest rose and fell rapidly until his gaze met hers then for a few seconds he forgot to breathe. Her first words drew him out of his entranced stare.

"If you hurt him I will kill you." Such fury had never been directed toward Raoul by anyone other than his nemesis. Certainly no female had ever held him in such contempt.

**A/N: We'll meet Erik soon. Next chapter in fact. I could be persuaded to post another chapter later tonight if I get an overwhelming number of reviews. Yes, I know. We writers are review whores. Excuse the language but that is what we are called at times. We often even cop to the title. So R&R . Please!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/: I was going to hold this chapter hostage until I got boocoos of reviews. Well seeing as how so many of you couldn't wait to have Erik join us I am posting tonight, or in some places morning. Enjoy. **

**Chapter Nine**

**Confronting Adversaries**

Crystal lay beneath one of the most handsome men she could recall ever seeing. His looks though did not win him favor with her. Knowing who he was placed him among her enemies as he and Erik had been enemies. Erik had hated this man above all the men he had ever met other than that horrid gypsy from hell.

She had felt his hatred had begun to lesson as he started accepting invitations to social gatherings. Day by day he let more of his anger go just as he let go of his continued hope Christine would come back to him. It maddened her as well as made her feel wonder that the man held so much love in his heart still for a woman who had betrayed him then left him alone in the moment of his greatest agony. Should she be lucky enough to find such a man the devil himself could not separate her from him.

At first Erik had been hesitant to attend any functions whatsoever. Using her considerable persuasive powers, which meant she badgered him ceaselessly, he had at last agreed to attend one with the understanding that if anything he did not like occurred they would leave and she would never press him again to leave his house either in daylight or pitch of night. In other words he would be burying himself in this house just as he had buried himself beneath the opera house in Paris.

Erik had found acceptance and she'd be damned if some autocratic nobleman would come along and do harm to him or worse turn him into the gendarmes. Well here in this village in the English countryside it would be the local constabulary. Crystal would fend Erik to the death. She had hopes things would not go that far but Erik deserved his newfound peace.

In the last month he had seemed more at peace with his life. He no longer grieved constantly, at least not openly, for his lost love Christine Daaé.

"Get off of her before I do something we will both regret." Erik's voice held all the dark hatred that had been simmering just below the surface. He may have come to accept his lot in life and been at peace with how things had turned out, at least by his outward appearance and recent behavior. Underneath the cauldron still simmered ready to spew out molten lava on the unsuspecting person who incured his wrath.

Seeing Raoul again brought all the pain back as if it had never left him. In truth it had not. He had learned to bury it so that Crystal did not see him grieving openly anymore. She deserved a companion with more to give than material things. They were not the least bit romantic, which still baffled him as she had often indicated she would be willing to come to his bed.

For whatever reason he preferred them to stick strictly to the roles they now had, that of very close and dear friends. If ever Erik had thought he might one day form a friendship it would not have been someone like Crystal. The mere fact that she was a woman would have excluded her if he had even thought it possible to have a friend.

Her saucy attitude had at first irritated the hell out of him as had her constant jovial attitude when he had been treating her with suspicion and dislike. Misery likes company and Crystal refused to be miserable. If he wanted her company he must at least give a performance of contentment.

She had totally ignored all of his attempts to disentangle himself from her. After a while he conceded that she had not been such a horrible person to have around. She had further won his complete trust when the posters offering a reward had finally been circulated into Parisian society. She had brought one to him so he might have a proud moment for the value they placed on his head.

If he had not known for certain Raoul had been out of the country he would have thought the Vicomte had personally offered up the reward money. Knowing all of Raoul and Christine's movements since he had recovered from his illness Erik had known the boy and Christine were not in the country at the time. He had kept tabs on the couple until recently.

Crystal had at last had enough of his dark moods. She had forced him to join the living once more. He couldn't say that he disliked his new life. It exceeded anything he could have imagined. If he could not say he was happy with how things were at least he could say they beat the hell out of how his past life had been.

Erik would not let Crystal come to harm for something he alone held blame for committing the crimes. He would not let Raoul turn her over to the gendarmes with him if that is why the boy had come. There could be no other reason as far as Erik could understand. What the boy had thought when he decided to face someone of Erik's caliber with no plan of taking his opponent offguard, Erik could only assume the young pup over estimated his talents.

If he wished to continue their feud Erik felt he could oblige Raoul with relish. The last time everything had been on Raoul's side. Now the playing field had evened out.

Raoul blanched to hear that voice again. It held all of the same menace from the time below the opera house and none of the seductive lover from the stage performance. At any second Raoul expected to feel one of "Oscar's" famous lassos tightening around his neck.

Momentarily he forgot he sat straddled across a very comely female which normally would have embarrassed him as well as taxed his sensibilities. He had always treated women with the utmost respect. If this one hadn't attacked him he would have given her the same courteous reception he gave every other woman.

"Yes you big oaf. Get off of me before Erik skewers you then cooks and feeds you to the wild wolf pack." Raoul did not miss the relish coating her words as she contemplated his demise in such a ghoulish manner. Crystal did not even know if ther were wolves in England. She hoped the Vicomte would not know any more than she did.

Wonering why such a pretty woman would wish him harm Raoul could not think of anything he had done other than defend himself. Perhaps she had some malady which made her slightly daft? He didn't see any sign of a crazy woman as he ran his eyes over her in a comprehensive search. She began to redden and wiggle trying to free herself.

Raoul slid off of her then rolled gracefully to his feet. He scowled at Demitri as he asked with a touch of aggravation in his tone, "Why did you not help? Would it tickle you to see me circling on a spit being cooked as a meal for wild animals?"

"Well I know your skills and did not foresee you being bested by a woman. I daresay Monsieur…Erik is it? I do not think his intentions are to do you any harm. Besides if he attempted anything I could have him dead on the ground before he drew any weapon.

If you notice he is too far away to use that famous lasso you told me about. If he went for a pistol I would gladly use my skills to disarm him.

Now gentlemen, I suggest we retire to some quiet parlor so that we may hold our discussion like civilized people. Nothing good ever comes from confrontations fraught with angry tension. It is very bad for the digestion."

Erik did not miss the man who was speaking move to block any attack he may make on de Chagny nor could he miss the not so subtle hand on the hilt of his sword. The man's stance may suggest relaxed unconcern but his fixed alert stare spoke of an experience in such matters that others would not have.

He recognized the deceptive demeanor as he himself had used it on many occasions in his younger days when he traveled and would find himself being challenged by some unwitting fool.

Crystal's very virulent swearing brought all of the men's focus on her. All three stepped forward to offer her a hand. She disdainfully batted Raoul's away, scowled with deadly promise toward Dimitri, then she took Erik's hand to allow him to pull her up.

Once on her feet she turned to face the other two men with a look that said she'd scratch the eyes from whichever one made a move toward Erik. With her hair all in disarray and her smaller stature she looked like a banny hen protecting her chick. Raoul nearly lost his composure when he pictured the woman as one of those hens and Erik as her little chick.

Knowing that now was not the time for levity Raoul pinched his lips together as tightly as he could. Crystal did not miss his near snicker. One thing which brought her ire on quicker than anything would be someone trying to belittle her or Erik. Narrowing her eyes she sent Raoul a very disturbingly dark look that would do "Oscar" proud.

Not Oscar but Erik. Raoul repeated the name Erik several times over in his mind. Somehow it seemed to fit. He nearly chuckled out loud to wonder what Monsieur Erik would think of the name Oscar. Tingling in his neck kept his silent wondering silent. He never wanted to find a rope around his neck ever again. He would never tell anyone but now days whenever he found himself near rope he broke out in a rash.

Having helped Crystal to her feet Erik asked her if she was alright. She nodded her head without taking her eyes from the other two men. He coughed to cover the chuckle which had worked its way up to see her with her hands on her hips as if to challenge them to make a move.

Knowing she did it in defense of him, Erik could not stave off the tender feeling that warmed his chest. Often in their association Crystal would do or say something that brought this same reaction.

At first it had made him uncomfortable to feel so vulnerable to another person. When he learned she actually meant every thoughtful word she spoke and every kindness she afforded him he could no longer hold her at a distance using his natural suspicion of everyone to accomplish that Herculean feat. Crystal had proved she had a stubborn streak, one even broader than his own when it came to what she wanted or thought right.

Raoul exchanged a disbelieving glance with Demitri. In his wildest imagination he would never have seen Oscar, or rather Erik, with anyone acting so...well so human and natural.

Of course Demitri did not know the man as Raoul did and really he did not know the man well himself. The only things he knew of this Erik were things others told him and the not so pleasant meetings they had during the fiasco at the opera house.

Erik bowed toward his guests extending his hand out to direct them to his parlor. When Raoul backed up a couple of steps he could not keep the pleased smile from his lips.

_So, the boy is still afraid. Good, Erik thought to himself._

"Gentlemen, if you please, join me in my parlor."

Raoul could not help the image he had of a spider inviting a hapless fly into his web for tea and conversation. He being the fly and Erik being the spider.

Manfully Raoul stood just a little taller then gave Erik a look men gave men they competed against in all things. He supposed he and Erik might have these feelings toward one another even once Christine and Erik got together. Raoul may not love Christine but every man liked to think the women he does have think only of him. He knew it to be a convoluted idea but men were complex at the best of times. Women he felt were even more of a trial.

Once challenged men tended to want to keep the challenge going until they defeated their opponent and then the other man had the same wish, which is why feuds seemed never to end. One-upmanship. Raoul felt a little ashamed to be so petty as to feel he must win against this man.

He didn't want Christine but still felt the need to bolster his pride. If he had loved Christine as he should, his life would have been hell knowing this other man held her heart. It made no sense really but still he felt that he had lost to this man in some way.

Once everyone had been seated Erik remembered his newly learned manners when in the company of people who did not know one another.

Introducing Crystal as merely a houseguest he saw immediately had been a mistake. The other men gave little outward appearance whether they had an opinion of what the real relationship between Crystal and himself was but Erik caught the quick exchange between Raoul and the man he had introduced as his cousin Dimitri.

If either man so much looked at Crystal in any other way than with respect he would gut them with pleasure. Hell, he might even do Raoul anyway regardless.

"Uh...Erik, as you can imagine this is as awkward and unexpected for me as it is for you. My purpose, our purpose is not to cause you trouble or turn you in to the authorities. Christine…" Raoul stopped at this point as Erik interrupted him.

Erik jumped up from his seat to advance on Raoul. Before he had taken one step Demitri had drawn his sword and had the tip planted firmly against Erik's throat.

In a calm voice which belied his alertness Demitri asked, "Please Monsieur let us not take this into unnecessary unpleasant confrontation. If you will calm yourself you will learn we bring you pleasant news."

With the point of a steel sword ready to skewer his Adam's apple Erik stepped back then retook his previous seat. He raised his hands in a show of surrender.

Once he could be sure Erik would make no further attacks on his companion Dimitri motioned for Raoul to continue. Raoul gave the woman a challenging look which she returned without so much as a blush or blink of an eye. She had spunk for sure. He could not help the excited leap of his heart to contemplate having her beneath him again only with a different purpose and most definitely a different outcome.

"As I had tried to say, Christine has been missing you and wondering how you faired. She wishes to see you. I am here to invite you to my home as a guest so that you both can feel secure, no gendarmes, no kidnappings." Raoul added the last just to irritate Erik a little. He did not think the man would ever traumatize Christine in that way again. He must know how it had frightened her the last time.

Erik ground his teeth at Raoul's needless condition. He would never harm Christine nor repeat any of the crazy things he had done before.

He found it hard to focus on anything more than the fact that Christine had worried about him, spent precious minutes of her day thinking about him. Now she wished to see him.

The fact that he would have to be under Raoul's roof displeased him greatly but he would room in hell if it meant he would be able to see Christine again.

Erik felt Crystal's eyes boring a whole in the side of his head. Needless to say she would have a few choice words about him seeing Christine again.

Perhaps he should not have told her so much about the sort of relationship he had with Christine or how he felt she had betrayed him by exposing him to all of Paris.

Crystal took loyalty toward those she held dear very seriously. He knew she would have no hesitation to take on a mighty adversary as proven by her tackling Raoul.

Likely she would scratch Christine's eyes out unless he could persuade her that he had forgiven his pupil for any transgressions in their past. He had to say Crystal had been the only person ever willing to stand by him defending him from all comers. Not that she had actually had to do so but he knew she would, given the chance, as she had done earlier and did now as she stared challengingly at Raoul and Demitri.

As Erik made no comments Raoul continued, "I give you my word as a gentleman I mean you no harm. I care about Christine even though we have come to think of ourselves as no longer engaged. I do still care for her and her welfare. If you are still hesitant perhaps knowing Madame Giry and her daughter Meg will be there will give you further assurance I will keep to my word."

Erik swallowed with difficulty. He'd be damned if he broke down in front of the boy. He had done too much of that before. Too many of his tears had been shed in the presence of Raoul. His emotions threatened to overwhelm him as he heard Raoul mention people he cared for deeply and had hurt so horribly.

"I will give consideration to your invitation. If I may, I would like to extend my hospitality to you. Spend the night and in the morning I shall have an answer for you." Erik did not bother to shield the clear challenge in his eyes. He practically dared Raoul to chance sleeping under his roof.

To his credit Raoul did not bat an eye or by so much as a quiver in his voice hint if he felt intimidated or afraid to accept Erik's polite gesture.

Having sorted out with his staff what needed to be done Erik excused himself then turned over his guests to his reliable staff. He needed to get to the privacy of his room before his emotions betrayed him in front of everyone.

He must get a grip on himself before they must met again for the evening meal. Erik could feel the tears barely held in check as he slammed his own door behind him. Leaning back against that solid wood he lost his composure.

Breaking down Erik sank to the floor without taking any further steps into his room. It had only been a few minutes when he heard the timid knock at his door. He did not need to ask who would dare come to him at a time like this. Crystal had been the one always to come offering her shoulder as well as soothing caresses to his back when he would break down sobbing over Christine's loss.

Only scooting enough to allow her to open the door, Erik did not verbally acknowledge the woman sliding down beside him to the floor. She wound her arm around him then pulled him toward her. This same scene had been replayed countless times in their early association.

She wouldn't even care that the floor might dirty her dress. Always her concern had been for his welfare. She would speak softly letting him sob until he had no more tears. Never had she made him feel unmanned by his displays of grief. When his tears would end she would wipe his face then bully him into a ride or some other form of entertainment. She would not allow him to wallow in self-pity. A break down now and then she considered cleansing but day in day out sobbing she told him smacked of self=indulgence.

When he had regained control Crystal said softly, "So I suppose I shall now meet this paragon who has held your heart in her tiny hands with little concern.

Don't look at me like that Erik. You know as well as I that she has been the silent force behind everything you have tried to accomplish.

I am not a stupid woman. You have done none of this for me or yourself. It has been all for her, for Christine." As she spoke Crystal's hand swept around Erik's elegantly appointed room. Every piece had been bought with a woman's approval in mind.

Everything from the furniture, paintings and objects set about the room as decoration had been chosen with Christine in mind.

Each piece had something that would indicate a moment he and his pupil had spent together. Roses, angels, the piano piled with musical scores from every opera performed in his former home, everything had some significant reference to his former life, a life he had shared with Christine.

Crystal had thought it had not been healthy but also knew it had been necessary. Erik had needed to be able to look around and find things that would give him the impression his home only lay in wait for someone he expected to arrive at any moment. Neither one ever spoke the name out loud but both knew who the room waited to take possession.

Now perhaps he would have the chance to have his dreams realized. What woman in her right mind would not be swayed by Erik's devotion? Whether she wanted them or deserved them, Christine had Erik's heart and soul.

Erik leaned his head down on Crystals shoulder. She always gave him an extra bit of strength just when he needed it. If not for Christine already owning him body and soul, he felt Crystal could have easily slipped into his heart. She had already just not as a potential partner in life.

"If I do go you must come too." Erik grabbed her hand to give it a squeeze.

"Hah! As if I would let you go without me. You need me for protection. I can take out that Raoul person but I am not so sure about his cousin Demitri. Perhaps I will leave him to you."

Erik could not stop the chuckle from rising then coming out. No one in his life had ever made him laugh. Crystal made him laugh daily. She had been good for his soul in that respect. She seemed to lighten the load he carried on his shoulders without any conscious effort.

Reclaiming his composure, Erik sent Crystal on her way so he could ready himself for the evening to come. This evening he would wear his finest garments. Only his mask would be a reminder of that pitiful creature he had been before.

He would face his adversary as a man who commanded respect.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This is for Katrina a reviewer who left a review complaining about every sentence beginning a new paragraph then proceeded to tell me to get a beta if I didn't know how to do it right. Well I do that purposely as many readers over the course of me posting stories complain that it is too hard to read paragraphs that are too long. **

**As a courtesy to them I shorten the paragraphs a little. If I were to publish anything for which I expected payment naturally I would do things as they should be such as indenting at the beginning of each paragraph. **

**Older eyes don't see as well as the younger ones. I have even suggested to some readers to change the color of their documents when they copy and paste to read offline. I hope this explains what my intention was as to the paragraphs. Glad you took the time out to review. I would have sent this privately but you are not a registered reviewer. Hope you continue to enjoy my effort to entertain. **

**Chapter Ten**

**Hearts Desire**

Once Erik ascertained he had not lost his mind and dreamed Raoul came offering to reunite him with Christine he could not move things along quickly enough to suit him. Every second spent on needless packing and planning were moments he could be spending with Christine. If not for the calming influence of Crystal Erik would have shaken the whereabouts of Christine from Raoul then grabbed the nearest horse and set off on his own.

His mind raced with what he might say. He well knew what he wanted to do. He wished he could steal her away so they would not have intrusions by anyone as he and Christine worked through just what their new relationship would be or if indeed there would be a relationship at all. With Raoul's pesky interference out of the way all he had to do would be to convince Christine he had become a more stable person. To enforce that idea perhaps he should stop devising ways to rid the world of one annoying nobleman.

She may well see him then come to the conclusion it would be madness to allow him to enter her life in any capacity. When his doubts plagued him he could count on Crystal to come to his rescue. If not for her he would have taken the journey with only the clothes on his back or simply got on his horse heading for parts unknown. She had to deal with the servants and instructions concerning their departure. His mind had become focused on one thing. Christine wanted to see him. She had sent Raoul to find him.

How he had managed to eat several meals with de Chagny still astounded him. He couldn't say he even remembered what they had spoken of other than making plans for their return to Raoul's home. and even those conversations were hazy.

Having never gotten anything he ever wished for Erik tried not to let himself think about his future with Christine unless he jinxed himself. Fate had a way of taking away anything that ever gave him joy. If he were to be honest a lot of the time he himself caused a lot of his problems as he tried to bend everything and everyone to his will.

It had even taken his music from him for a time. With Crystal's constant badgering he had at last conquered the mental block he had. For a number of months he could not sing or play one note. To do so would have his throat closing to the point he almost lost consciousness.

He had thought this deeply inflicted wound would never heal. Over the last few months he had been preparing himself to live out his life with no end in sight for the discomfort he always felt when he let memories of Christine seep into his mind.

In his wildest imaginings he would not have thought Raoul would be the one to deliver Christine into his hands again. If ever he had let himself think of seeing her once more it had always been through some stealth on his part. The way they had parted had not left him with any feeling that Christine would pine for having lost him or regret never seeing him again.

As hard as he tried he could not quell the excitement overtaking him. The slight rush of joy made him feel slightly uneasy as it usually meant a great disappointment would follow. Crystal had chastised him enough for being such a naysayer he could almost let himself believe this time would be different.

Even though he wished to immediately leave things had to be taken care of. Crystal had told him he had to be insane to think she would let him go anywhere without her. Erik did not remind her that she only lived as she did by his good graces. He had not and never would remind her that his money bought every single thing she ate, wore and even the bed she slept in.

Truth be told Erik felt he could never repay the debt he owed her even if he were to hand over every last coin in his possession. She had saved him in more ways than one. She had given him a piece of his soul back.

Erik would not travel in the same carriage as Raoul. He never would admit that he wished to show Christine his opulent carriage as well as his other riches. Twice the size and three times as ornate as the one Raoul had arrived in.

Being a man of some genius, Erik had installed several luxuries no one else would have. He had designed a heating system for the winter. It kept the inside of the carriage warm for a short time as the fuel only lasted about an hour. The insulation of the carriage however held in the heat for quite some time.

Raising the floor level up slightly had eliminated much of the dust from the horses hooves as well as the wheels. Vents had been installed for added airflow which would be covered during the winter.

A water jug equipped with a small spigot provided much needed liquid refreshment on long trips. His next project had been going to be to devise some sort of warmer and cooler to keep food for longer journeys.

Erik had even added a larger area to hold the many trunks. Little had to be placed on the top. Demitri and Raoul's interest in his carriage did Erik's pride a bit of good. To have Raoul envious of anything he owned lifted Erik's spirits. He had so little that Raoul could not obtain for himself. All Erik had that perhaps could not be bought were the things he invented.

Raoul had not been hesitant in expressing what he thought of Erik's mode of transport. Crystal rolled her eyes and huffed, loudly, trying to get the men to take notice of the time slipping by.

Men were such boys about certain things. If they lingered much longer she would bet all three men would be crawling underneath to examine the undercarriage which Erik had installed some devices that absorbed much of the jarring thus lessoning the discomfort inside the carriage.

Pointedly Crystal cleared her throat drawing their attention. For a moment her eyes met the Vicomte's. His look said she had interrupted a most important moment in history.

Sniffing dismissively in his direction she said, "I know you men must have your little boy moments gawking at things we women know nothing about but please refrain from wasting any more light. We…I would like to be at our destination before nightfall."

Erik nearly laughed aloud. He did snicker a little, which had the other two men looking at him curiously. He would not enlighten them to the fact that Crystal had helped him design many of the improvements or that she had installed almost all of it.

She may look pretty and helpless but underneath all that frivolous outer covering beat the heart of an inventor and craftsman, or in her case craftswoman. Crystal could work wonders with any tool. Her mind could pick apart any puzzle and piece it together faster than anyone Erik knew. He would not doubt her intellect rated higher than his own.

Being a woman she had never been challenged to show any initiative into areas deemed only fit for men. Erik did not know all of Crystal's past but little by little she had been revealing things about herself. She kept secrets as well as he did. She only let him in so far in the same way he had done all his life.

The journey had been made without incident. Raoul had felt further impressed when Erik had offered them a cool drink of water when they stopped to avail themselves of the bushes when nature called.

He looked with different eyes toward Crystal when Erik revealed how much she had a hand in the design and building of the carriage.

Speaking of Crystal gave Erik something to relate to the others without his tongue having him beg for more details about Christine. For him all other topics were a waste of time.

For some odd reason Raoul began seeing her in men's trousers and a loose shirt which slid off her shoulder every so often. The beginning bulge in his trousers had his face turning red.

His quick over the shoulder command that they load up and continue surprised everyone. They had been stretching their legs chatting companionably when Raoul had made his brusque order. Erik resented being told what to do therefore he took his own sweet time stepping back into his carriage.

Raoul didn't care if Erik became rooted where he stood. He had only given that overbearing command as an excuse to hide his ungentlemanly reaction to Crystal. If Erik knew of his thoughts concerning her, Raoul bet he would be sleeping with one eye open.

Erik's restless movements had just about driven Crystal mad. His sighing as he moved about only added to her irritation. She held off reprimanding him as she could well imagine his feelings at the moment. In a matter of hours he would face a woman he had loved beyond reason. Crimes had been perpetrated to gain advancement of her career.

If someone had done that for her Crystal thought she would have loved that man or angel until the day she died. In her entire life not one person had gone out of their way to give her anything. Of course she deplored Erik having taken livesand the fact he had nearly burned to the ground one of Paris' shining monuments to the arts.

Erik had taken extreme measures but one had to realize that for him the extreme had been the norm. He had not lived as other people did. Erik had never learned the same values that other children learn as they grow up. Never had he felt the love children deserve from the time they enter the world. No, she did not condone his actions but she did understand why he had done the things he had done. She and Erik had held many discussions on the different ways he could have taken to show Christine how he felt without turning to his darker side.

Her parents, although they had loved her as best as they knew how, were selfish people. Always their needs and wants had come before her own. If just a small portion of Erik's torment had been visited on her she too may hold his grim outlook on humanity. What had been done to her had been awful but she had not lost her belief in the general good nature of man.

Erik had been the only person to give her anything without demanding something in return. What she did for him she did of her own free will. She suspected if she never did another thing for him, Erik would still take care of her. He would still think of her as a friend. She of all people knew what it felt like to be able to put your complete trust in another person.

Crystal hoped this visit came out as Erik wanted it to. He deserved a little happiness. More than most he needed someone to love him without any reservations. The woman would need the patience of Job when dealing with one of Erik's insecurities. He needed constant reassurances that everything was as it should be.

Glancing across at Erik she could not help but smile. Erik had fallen asleep. In repose he looked so innocent, almost childlike. A man less childlike when awake she had never met.

It amazed her how sweet and kind Erik could still be at times given how he had grown up. She knew he had told her pretty much his whole life story but guessed that he had left out some of the more grime moments. What he had told her had been horrible enough.

Catching a sign stating the drive for the de Chagny estate was only a short distance, Crystal tapped Erik on the knee. She had learned the hard way never to touch him on his shoulder while he slept. He came up swinging for all he was worth at the slightest touch of a finger.

Erik did not wish to leave the wonderful dream he had been having. Crystal's low words informing him they had arrived drove away the last remnants of his dream. He felt the jolt of excitement that shot through him when he realized now he would see Christine in person.

He forced himself to exit the carriage sedately. Turning he offered Crystal his hand. Once she had found her footing he could not stave off turning to get his first glimpse of where Christine would be awaiting his arrival.

Erik chided himself for thinking she would be awaiting only his coming. Would she not welcome Raoul home more than her onetime tutor even if she did wish to see him?

Raoul swept past Crystal and Erik inviting them to join him in his home. If anyone had ever told him that he would be crossing the threshold of de Chagny's home by invitation Erik would have laughed until he collapsed. He would have claimed the teller of such hilarity certifiable.

Never having entered any home through the front door other than his own, Erik still found it an amazing feat. To come and go as normal men did still felt new and wonderful to him.

The door opened as if by magic before Raoul had taken a step toward the door. A very tall sedate gentleman stood holding the door open. He bowed graciously and welcomed "Master Raoul" home.

Erik felt a twinge of envy to hear Raoul addressed so. He would never attain that level of respect and it did bother him. He tried not to let it lower how he felt about himself but found it hard when as they entered the house there were servants lined up bowing and scraping as Raoul passed them.

To his credit Raoul stopped and asked some question or commented to each one. Their loyalty and respect did not come across as the type that had been bought by a salary.

Erik froze to the spot when he heard the unmistakable voice of Christine. He had the urge to turn and run away while feeling an equal need to climb into some wall or hide in the shadows so he could observe her without having her see him.

His doubts rose clamouring for attention. Would he not look horrible to her in the glaring light of day? Damn Raoul. Could he have not planned this so they arrived in the twilight hours? What difference that would have made with all the lighting about the house Erik felt too agitated to deal with speculating on the matter.

Nearly passing out because he held his breath so long, Erik at last exhaled when Crystal patted him on the back. He would thank her later but for now he needed every bit of his fortitude to stay uprigh as nerves overtook him. The trembling that had begun in his hands spread until his whole body shook as if overtaken by the cold chills.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Bonus chapter because of all the quick reviews and a very nice number they were too, so as a reward I give you the next chapter.**

**Chapter Eleven**

**Reuniting**

Christine had been sitting at the front parlor window daily as much as Madame and Meg would allow her to do so. Periodically they would come and pull her away so she could partake of a meal or join them for tea in the garden. She wanted to be the first person Erik saw when he arrived. She debated just how forward she could be. In her heart of hearts she knew she would like nothing better than to throw herself into his arms wrapping her own around him and never let him go.

She tried to focus on what they had to say but her attention wandered elsewhere. Time spent other than at that parlor window seemed wasted to her. What if he came while she occupied herself somewhere else? Nothing in her life seemed more important than meeting with her Angel once more. To have this chance to set things right she considered a gift from God. Only God could know just how many nights she had spent in prayer begging for the protection and safety of the man still holding her heart regardless of what had transpired when last they parted.

She didn't know why it seemed so important that she greet Charles immediately before anyone else but knew it was what she felt the right thing to do. Convincing him how important he had become to her would take time she knew. Her man of mystery had no reason to trust in her word or her emotions toward him. From past exoerience he knew she was weak of character.

Perhaps it had something to do with showing him she personally wanted him to be here that made it seem so important he focus on her new acceptance of him. Lord knew it to be the truth but she wanted her angel to know it as well.

This time she wanted there to be no mistaking how she felt. Christine had given this much thought and decided she must not let her own reticence or propriety keep her from showing the man who held her heart exactly how she felt. He had already declared his feelings for her. Now it would be her turn to risk all by letting everyone know exactly how she felt. Erik of all people she wanted to make it known she held him in the highest regards. She could not come right out and declare her love but she could pave the way by her actions.

If he no longer felt the same then at least she would know it had not been her cowardly ways that had kept her from revealing how she felt about him. Finally she could honestly say she had no childish illusions about him. What she felt had nothing to do with childish imaginings but everything to do with an adult woman's feelings.

Madame and Meg hovered in the background ready to help in any way they could. Meg, bless her, had gone out of her way to listen to the ramblings of her sister. Christine didn't know what she had done to deserve two such fine people in her life but she wanted them to know how grateful she felt for having their support.

They had talked for a while but conversation dwindled as the day dragged on. Every bong on the grandfather clock resounded with hollow clangs inside her head. She felt as if she might scream if something didn't happen to relieve all the tension cloying the very air she breathed.

So many conversations had played out in her mind yet she thought when the time came she might revert to her shy ways when face to face with her angel. The first order of business would be to request permission to call him by his Christian name.

To give him his true identity would be another step away from his role of phantom and ghost. She supposed she might always think of him as her angel, if even only to herself. For her he had been an angel of mercy and delight for many years.

If he had not spoken to her that first time Christine knew that in the future she may have done something unpardonable to herself. Her grief had seemed unending in those first few days after her father had passed.

She had wanted the company of no one, not even Meg or Madame. At the cemetery she remembered thinking that when it got dark she would return to her father's tomb and sit with him until…well at six a day would have seemed like an eternity. She may well have stayed until she passed into a coma. Having lost both her mother and father had been devastating.

When she first heard her angel that had been when she decided living in a world without her father wouldn't be so bad. The angel he had sent could keep her safe while giving her a friend.

Spotting two carriages coming up the drive Christine jumped to her feet to exclaim excitedly, "They are here. Madame, Meg, they are here."

Not caring how ill-mannered it looked or sounded, Christine took a step toward the parlor door. Madame grabbed her arm gently but firmly to hold her back.

"Christine, no. Let him come to you. We have no idea what state he might be in or even if he is with Raoul at all. To go running out may cause unnecessary problems.

He will be nervous enough having just dealt with Raoul and Demitri. You must remain calm. Give the man time to breath and acclimate himself to his surroundings."

Antoinette knew how Christine felt. She wanted nothing more than to race out then grab him into a tight embrace. Since he had been touched so few times in his life it would be safer to let him adjust to all of them.

Being who he was she thought he might still have issues with his face, especially where Christine was concerned. So many people at once were bound to make him feel unsettled. It astounded her that Raoul had come back, his condition had yet to be determined.

When they heard voices in the entryway Christine could not be stopped. She stated firmly, "I am going to greet him. I will not have him think it doesn't matter whether he came or not. Whatever reassurances he needs I will do my best to provide them."

That stubborn look did not come over Christine often but when it did little could dissuade her from staying the course.

Lifting her skirts Christine nearly ran to the double doors. She skidded to a stop just before slipping through the opened doors. She did not want to appear hoydenish.

Taking a deep breath she stepped out into the large entryway. Several people were still coming in. Her breath caught at the sight of his magnificent form, her angel, her heart.

She had forgotten just how impressive he was. If he had not told her he loved her she would never believe she could catch the eye of someone so…so…so utterly beyond her own paltry charms.

As if he could feel her stare boring into his back he stopped mid sentence. His shoulders straightened then very slowly he began to turn. from the very pretty woman at his side. Briefly Christine let herself be sidetracked wondering what this woman had to do with her angel. A wave of possessiveness washed over her. She who never felt any violence toward anyone would like nothing better than to shove that woman to the ground.

Everyone held their breath knowing just how monumental this meeting would be. Raoul could not help but see the bright light shining in Christine's eyes, a light that had dimmed over the last year. For a moment he also caught the light of jealousy which brought an angry red to her face.

Erik had heard her voice above anyone else's. He shivered as he felt fingers of ice trail up and down his spine. He had to close his eyes a moment to stave off those damn humiliating tears that always seemed to be ready to fall. He would not let himself be humbled in front of anyone like that again. Crystal did not count as she did not hold it against him nor think him weak for showing his emotions.

Never before Christine had broken him had he been one to cry or show any emotions outwardly. It seemed Christine had broken down some dam that had been holding them all back for years. The flood once let loose he had thought never to cease.

At last he had turned completely so that he could get his first look at his Angel, his Christine. He dare not let himself show too much lest he woke and all of this turned out to be some ghastly nightmarish dream meant to taunt him with what he wanted but could not have.

Christine could not help the way her eyes devoured every inch of him. If they thought her vulgar then so be it. If she was not mistaken he looked his fill of her as well. She felt as if he touched with his hands every place his eyes roamed over her. To have him touch her in loving caresses once more would be her ultimate dream come true. That she knew must wait until everything between them had been resolved.

Now that he stood in front of her everything she wanted to say seemed to have sifted out of her brain. She couldn't put two intelligent words together if she tried. What she really wanted to do was go to him and wrap her arms around him. Feeling his solid form against her would make all of this real. It seemed as if all her life she had been searching for him without even knowing that she did.

Once he had been removed from her life she had felt the missing piece of her heart that he took with him. Her very soul seemed to weep in melancholy. Even the brightest of days had seemed to dim when she thought of him alone and hurting. If he hurt half as badly as she had then she pitied him for his sorrow.

The moment their eyes met we the outer world receded. The room seemed to be spinning but they knew they were not moving. He took a step and Christine felt her foot draw her forward without any thought of doing so. She could feel the pull on her body from his eyes.

If ever a person could drown in another's gaze she wanted to do so in her angel's eyes. Those beautiful green eyes which in some lights looked like a clear summery blue sky then in a moment turned green with passion.

In this moment Christine had the same urge to follow him anywhere that she had the first time he took her down below the opera. The same strange overwhelming urge to reach out to him overtook her. Without knowing how it came to pass they now stood a mere couple of inches apart. He studied her just as intently as she studied him. Tentatively she smiled. The smile faltered just a little when she saw the darkening of his eyes. His nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply.

"Christine," Erik could not hold back that soft whisper of her name. His hands began to shake with the need to touch her. He must not give in to that urge for he would surely frighten her. If he ever wanted to have even a friendship with her he must control himself and tread softly. He could not let any of the madness from his former life rise up in him. He no longer wished to be that man.

Slowly so as not to frighten her Erik raised his hand to place it on her cheek. When she did nothing more than close her eyes then place her hand over his, he could barely restrain the urge to pull her to him.

His heart began to pound as he remembered how he had caressed her. How he had gained the nerve to do so that first time he supposed had been due to feeling more powerful in his own surroundings.

Looking at her beautiful face so close to his own he could recall every second of those two kisses she had given him just before he set her and Raoul free.

Neither Christine nor Erik noticed Antoinette and Meg shepherding everyone into the parlor shutting the doors after them.

Erik closed his eyes to savor the feel of her soft skin more acutely behind the darkness of his lids. He had always been able to feel things better in the dark. His music especially had been more passionate while he played in the flickering light of a few candles.

He could still picture Christine as she looked around his home in wide-eyed wonder. That night she had been in complete awe of him. If he had not been so stupid, she might have consented at that moment to be more than merely his pupil.

That night he had come so close to kissing her as he wanted but the damn mannequin had been too much for her and she had fainted. Then the morning had been ruined when she took the mask from his face. Even then things could have been salvaged if he had not shown his temper.

Feeling her hands come to rest on his chest, Erik nearly jumped out of his skin. He did not know what her intentions were but perhaps someone should caution her that she played with fire touching him in such a manner. Just because he had managed to still his trembling did not mean he had any more control over his body and its reaction to her nearness.

As if that had not been fuel to an already flickering flame, he now felt her lips at the side of his own mouth. They did not linger or even brush across his mouth, the alighted as gently as a butterfly then left him wanting more. His hands hovered just behind her back debating if he should touch her or not. He thought it best not to do that as one touch might lead to many more that she did not want.

It had been nothing more than a light touch of her lips yet it had been enough to set him ablaze. All too briefly he had felt her soft lips so near to his own. All the passion he had not returned while her lips had been on his at their last meeting now burned for release. He was not now an emotional wreck, at least not completely.

He had to step away from her lest she become aware of just how much of a normal man he could be. This time he would do his best to keep his beast hidden inside. He looked down into the surprised face of Christine. It would seem her bold salutation had been an impulse. Even as he watched pink color flushed her cheeks.

Covering her mouth with her hands she whispered, "Oh…oh please forgive me. I…I…shouldn't…gracious, what you must think of me." She moved her hands from her lips to her cheeks in an attempt to cool them.

"I…I did not mind." Was that rusty sounding voice his own? He hoped she concluded he sounded strange because of nervousness rather than sexual tension. He didn't want her to fear being attacked.

If he told her he wanted much more than her lips on him more than likely she would run and hide. At the moment she didn't seem afraid of him and by God he wanted to keep it that way. None of his usual grasping and demanding tendencies would be allowed to surface. This must be done slowly.

"May I ask you something?" Christine asked with bowed head.

Erik lifted her chin with his finger. Shyly she kept her eyes down as a soft smile crossed her lips. "You may ask anything of me Christine."

He had to curb saying aloud all the things he would like for her to ask. None of them were appropriate between two people just finding their way to some sort of understanding. Perhaps he and Christine may never come to the point of ever saying those things to one another. If friendship would be all she allowed it would have to be enough.

His eyes became entangled in her clear-eyed gaze. What he saw glimmering in the depths surely must be his imagination. More than mere friendly thoughts seemed to lurk within the dark brown pools of her eyes.

His own desires must be leading him to see what he wished to see. He had thought she felt passion for him the night he had her in his home then again during the performance of Don Juan Triumphant.

He mustn't let his imagination run away with his emotions. To act on those falsehoods had led him into deep despair the last time. He would not commit that insanity again.

"I…I have never known or asked what your name is. I should like to call you by your given name and not…well not as I did before." He could see that Christine felt badly for not having known the name given him by his mother. It had not been her fault entirely he had remained her Angel of Music.

"My name is Erik. Erik Montclair. It would please me if you would grant me the honor of calling me Erik." He did not intend to tell her his surname had been picked from the headstone of a dead man. He always had known his name to be Erik but had not recalled his last name.

Needing a surname to purchase tickets Crystal had taken him to the cemetery sweeping her hand around ordering him to pick one. That experience showed him to never let Crystal see his indecision over any problem. She had a unique method for solving problems.

Glancing around Christine found everyone had left them alone. She had been so occupied by her ang…by Erik that she had not noticed them all slipping away.

"I…I suppose we should join the others. They will wonder where we have gone."

"Yes we would not wish to have a search party come looking for us." The last thing he wanted at this moment would be to have the others around. Being a gentleman now he would heed the dictates of polite society.

He politely offered his arm to Christine. To her credit she did not look incredulous that he acted as a proper gentleman rather than an insane Opera Ghost. Erik had much of his past to mend over the following days, not only with Christine but wih Madame and Meg as well.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Days of Splendor**

In the parlor Crystal darted daggers at Madame Giry for having dragged her unceremoniously from Erik's side. If that young soprano hurt Erik again there may well be blood spilled. She wanted to drag Erik to safety until he had time to adjust to seeing that young woman again.

With her hands on her hips she stood in front of Antoinette telling her exactly that. A few choice words were also said that shocked Meg. Antoinette had not thought to hear such words outside of the opera house or some dark alley where the drunken men hung out waiting to pick up a woman for the evening.

Trying for a calm demeanor she asked Crystal to tell the how she met Erik. At first Crystal stood stubbornly silent but with a huff she threw her hands up in the air as Antoinette had not been willing to engage in a physical altercation or even a swapping of angry words. She had hoped to dispel some of her anger toward Christine and de Chagny without coming to blows.

Catching de Chagny eyeing her with a concentrated stare she shrugged her shoulders trying to dislodge the feeling he had touched her rather than looked at her. He disturbed her in a way no one ever had. Her skin felt all itchy and twitchy. Had she developed an allergic reaction to him? If anyone could accomplish that it would be de Chagny.

When Antoinette learned Crystal had worked as a cleaning lady at L'Opéra Populaire, she relaxed her attitude toward Crystal enough to ask her several questions. They had a few acquaintances in common. Crystal glared at de Chagny when his brows rose up into his hairline when he learned of her past employment. She swore if he said one derogatory remark he'd be picking up a few teeth from this fine Persian carpet.

Spying Meg looking goggle-eyed at Demetri Crystal wanted to warn her of the type of man he was. Meg for all of having been raised and working within the walls of the theatrical community had not adapted their jaded worldly behavior. At least it did not seem as if she had. Christine had a similar look of innocence about her, much to Crystal's disgust. Crystal did not want to find anything redeemable about the woman who had caused Erik so much pain.

It would be so much easier to dislike them if they were loose moraled women. Erik would be helpless among these types of women. As threatening as he could be at times, Crystal had found him to hold women in high esteem whether a lowly prostitute or a working mother. Women who had children they supported could have asked him for the shirt off his back had they but known it. She had lost count of the times he had sent her around to some widow's mailbox to leave an envelope containing an undisclosed amount of cash.

Many times he had given her envelopes to send to those who had been injured during the fire caused by his hand. His conscience ate at him all the time. Judging him by his past most people would conclude Erik had no finer feelings at all. They would assume him to be a very cruel and selfish man. Perhaps at one time he had been.

Erik had done many horrible things in his life but for all the time she had known him he had been nothing but kind once he had recovered from his injuries. Neither of them ever referred to the condition Erik had been in when she found him. He had nearly bled to death from two bullets some wild-eyed citizens had put in his shoulder and leg.

It had not even been the gendarmes who had taken him down. All of Paris had been on the alert. If Crystal had not left her temporary shelter of the one wall of the stable that had not fallen she might not have come across Erik. She did not like to think what would have become of him if she had not found him in time. She liked to think it had been fate that had her literally stumbling over Erik in that alley.

She couldn't say if she would have done anything if she had come across those looking for him. At that time she had been still reeling from the loss of employment and her home. Concluding she could not let him die she had done her best to find adequate shelter. The damn looters coming back to sift through the rubble of the burned out opera house had made it necessary to seek other accommodations.

She had found the warehouse within a short time. Her arms and back had burned from the strain of tugging and pulling him over the rough stones that paved the Paris streets. Her mind had bid her to leave him to his fate but her heart would not leave him to die alone. No one should leave the world without someone to give them comfort at their time of passing. In the beginning she had believed her patient's time on earth would be limited to a few hours at best. He had fooled her as every day his strength began to return.

Her ears still rang from all his curses once he had enough energy to take note of his surroundings as well as his state of undress. During that time she had learned more cursing in French and several foreign languages. He had been fit to be tied she had found out in due course. His clothes had been ruined as well as very dirty. To put them back on would invite infection. All of her hard work would have been for naught.

An angry Erik would never be a pleasant experience for the person earning his wrath. She shuddered as she recalled several close calls where she thought he might dismiss his credo to never harm a woman or child. He had almost made an exception in her case. To his credit Erik had only slipped for a few seconds. But darned if she did not think she earned a few grey hairs until he reclaimed his sanity.

Becoming worried when neither Erik nor Christine came into the parlor, after some minutes, she went to the closed doors to press her ear against the wood. She could hear the hum of voices but could make no words. Damn thick doors. Leave it to a nobleman to think everyone spied on him. Perhaps he had a guilty conscience.

"Mademoiselle Creighton! I must insist you not try to intrude on private matters." Antoinette scolded Crystal as she had her ballerinas when they misbehaved. She would not admit she had her own inclination to listen at the door, for Christine's safety of course.

"Well I for one am extremely curious to know what is going on. Are not any of you concerned he may sling her over his shoulder then leave without our even knowing about it until he is gone? He does have his own carriage I might remind you," Crystal taunted.

Crystal watched with good humor as they exchanged glances. She could almost say to the second when they all came to the same conclusion. They all wanted to listen just as badly as she did but good manners prevented them from doing so.

Raoul picked up a tray of glasses from the sideboard. He offered them to everyone. When they looked at him as if he were not quite right in the head he sighed in disgust. He hadn't been offering them the glasses for drinking. He knew very well they were empty. That was the whole point.

"I don't mean to offer you a drink. If you put them to the door like this you may be able to hear what is being said outside this room." He put the tray down and demonstrated how to use them as a listening device. As a child he had learned about many presents in just such a manner.

Crystal snatched up a glass without bothering to see if anyone else did the same. Soon though, she had to scrunch up to accommodate the others. Why de Chagny ended up behind her with his front nestled firmly against her backside she considered one of fates aggravating ways to get at her. It was damn distracting to say the least. She could not help but wonder if he could feel every inch of her as well as she could feel him. She imagined he could which did not set well with her.

Being this close did strange things to her the least of which was feeling as if she couldn't breathe properly. She noticed the short rapid inhalations and quick exhales as her chest moved. Surely that was not drops of perspiration on her upper lip. She did not perspire. Perhaps she had developed an allergy to the man as she had surmised earlier. That would explain the tight itchy feeling to her skin as well as the other symptoms.

Soon she gave up trying to concentrate on trying to hear the conversation beyond the doors. It did not take much effort to have her mind delving into areas she probably should not even consider. He being an aristocrat and Erik's enemy placed him outside her reach. Abruptly she halted that line of thinking. Why would she care if she could play patty cake with him or not? He was nothing to her. Nope, she cared nothing for the man at all. The allergic reaction must have traveled to her brain.

In disgust with herself as well as him she said angrily, "Would you mind not breathing down my neck? It is quite irritating. Did no one ever teach you about personal space?"

Crystal's words had everyone jumping away from the door as if suddenly it had caught fire. Guilt could plainly be detected on everyone's faces, well except for de Chagny. He had a well pleased look about him. Oh how she would love to wipe that smile from his face. If he would only give her an excuse to do so she would be ever so grateful.

Other than being an adversary to Erik, Crystal could think of nothing the man had done to irritate her personally. The fact that he had a title may influence her a bit but she hoped she had gotten past that stumbling block. One could not walk through life disliking a person simply because of their status in life. Although the aristocracy did tend to lean toward that very judgmental attitude as she had found out once her family had lost their standing in society.

Crystal thankfully heard the door opening behind them. Erik had saved her from making a complete fool of herself. What more she might have said was open to conjecture. She did tend to have an acidic tongue when her ire had been awakened. De Chagny had the uncanny ability to set her off without even trying.

Erik and Christine stepped into the room to face four people who looked extremely guilty with no obvious cause. Erik directed his questioning gaze to Crystal. She shrugged her shoulders dismissively in a gesture that did not fool Erik one bit. When she turned from his piercing gaze he knew something was amiss. Crystal never backed down from one of his challenging looks. She would more than likely outstare him on any given day. Why now did she seem all flustered and riddled with guilt?

He would find out. All he need to is fasten his eyes on her without saying a word a few times and she would eventually cave. That had been his only advantage when dealing with her. He could outlast her in the silence game. She may be able to hold out longer at first but if he continued to wear away at her like water on a rock she eventually told him what he wanted to know.

Blushing to the roots of her hair Crystal turned so Erik could not see her face, she then had to face the smiling face of de Chagny as well as the curious looks of the others. For next to nothing Crystal felt she would smack that smile from de Chagny's face into the middle of next week. He looked as if he knew exactly how he affected her. The others probably wondered if she were coming down with some malady.

When no one seemed willing to open the conversation Demitri, bless him took the focus off of Crystal's flushed face by addressing the group at large.

"Raoul, how remise of you. You have yet to offer anyone any refreshments or even a seat to rest upon. I can't say I am impressed dear cousin with how your manners have relaxed." Demitri completely ignored Raoul's huff of annoyance just as he forgot his own participation in the eavesdropping escapade.

"Oh by all means ladies and gentlemen please take a seat. You Demitri will take a seat on the nearest…"

"Ah,ah, ah dear cousin. We are in mixed company. I really must speak to Aunt Caroline. I am sure she will be appalled to hear how vulgar you have become."

Erik felt a little stab of jealousy to watch the two men trade friendly insults. He had never had anyone he could have done anything like that with or anyone to tease him good-naturedly. Any remarks ever made to him were of an unkind nature and meant to wound.

He felt Christine's fingers searching for his hand. When she held his much larger hand in hers he lost sight of everyone and everything around him. Everything within him seemed focused on where their fingers were entwined. Looking downward he saw her looking upward searching his face for something. She must have been satisfied by what she saw for she smiled that breathtaking smile which she had directed toward him.

Much more of her smiles and he would forget his plan to show her how normal he could be. He'd be whisking her off to faraway places where no one could intrude upon them. The more he thought about that the more appealing it seemed.

Christine had taken his hand out of an impulse to offer him some sort of reassurance. She could not read the look she had seen come over him when he watched Raoul and Demitri. All she had seen had been the unhappiness within the deep green of his eyes. Anything which would cause him hurt would also hurt her.

She had forgotten how fragile he could be. His fierceness when pretending to be the Opera Ghost and Phantom would lead one to think him invincible. That had only been a façade to cover just how vulnerable he had been and still was. So easily he could be hurt, by her especially. She had not known that before but she did now and would take special care of his feelings and welfare.

If the look in his eyes could be believed she had done something which pleased him very much. He confirmed this by gently squeezing her hand. Before anyone could notice their impropriety Erik released his hand from Christine's soft clasp. When she continued to smile at him he knew she understood his action.

Never in recent memory had he experienced anything so perfectly normal yet highly sensuous. All these years he had gone without the sensation of skin on skin. All too briefly he had felt her skin against his when they were on stage. He could vividly recall every second her lips had touched his even if he had been an emotional wreck and did not think to savor them so he might recall them when his heart bled over the loss of her.

If she would honor him with her lips ever again this time he would be sure to return the salutation, not that he had any experience in such matters but he felt himself to be a fast study in most things. From the reaction the mere press of her lips at the corner of his mouth had caused he did not think he would have too much trouble finding an appropriate response if ever she should kiss him properly.

Considering his age and still being a virgin, he thought a few sessions with a few books may lend him some much needed knowledge. He no longer could claim total virginity as Christine had kissed him, passionately if he remembered correctly. Yes they had chemistry between them, chemistry that could easily be set off into a blazing inferno.

Just thinking of kissing her had his body heating uncomfortably. How had he managed all those years not dragging some hapless female off into the shadows? Considering what his mind so easily showed him concerning Christine, Erik concluded there must be some saintly blood in his veins he had been unaware of all these years.

Everyone took a seat then silence reigned. They fidgeted in their seats, played with their fingers, cleared their throats a number of times as they looked from one to another expectantly. Now that the moment for conversation had arrived no one wanted to be the first to speak. It could be that no one knew quite where to start.

They all jumped when the maid opened the door which seemed to screech over loudly in the quiet. Erik had been going to stand when the young woman entered but noted the other men remained sitting. Not standing in the presence of servants would be duly noted in his mental list of things a gentleman of some standing did and did not do when in company.

Crystal had taught him much but he knew there was much more he needed to learn. The few social occasions he had deemed to attend under pressure from Crystal he considered learning tools as he had not interacted with anyone on any grand scale. Polite greetings in passing did not count. He had tended to observe more than participate, much in the same way he had at the opera house.

Raoul graciously asked Antoinette to do the honors of pouring. Christine felt glad not to have that foisted on her still being technically engaged to Raoul. She covered the ring on her left hand self-consciously. It felt as if it weighed as heavy as a boulder. She had not formally disengaged herself from Raoul. The first moment she could do so she would hand him back his ring with many thanks for remaining her friend.

She and Raoul must settle this last bit before she could move on as she wished. It would not be seemly to wear one man's engagement ring while lusting after another. Christine could not help thinking this seemed almost the exact position she had been in when last she and Erik had been together. The difference now being she and Raoul knew they did not love one another and planned to break off the engagement formally as soon as Raoul's parents returned to France, at least that had been the initial plan. With Erik hear she felt an urgent need to be completely free of entanglements.

Watching Erik as he cautiously responded to questions posed to him she found him fascinating. In the dark shadows of the opera house he had seemed darkly seductive. Now he appeared to be no less entrancing in the light. Although he spoke hesitantly his voice still managed to entrance her. She could feel the vibrations of it over her skin as well as thrumming through her veins.

He had a natural grace not many men would have living as he had. True he did not do everything as a gentleman would but everything he did he did fluidly. Over time he would acquire the skills of what to say and how to present himself. To her he had never been more perfect than the moment his eyes locked with hers. The rest of the world receded just as it had before.

With him, Christine had a feeling every day would be magic. His raw sensuality came naturally. He did not force anything as most men did. His attraction for the opposite sex was not something he had learned, he had been born with it.

Only Crystal seemed to be immune to his charm. It pleased Christine that Erik had this ability to bring women under his spell. Perhaps if it occurred often enough he might come to realize his face did not matter when his voice alone could send shivers down her spine. She would not want him to take notice of other women in that way but it would not hurt for him to know he had the power to attract them. If she won his heart then others would not matter. They may try to win him but if she had her way none would have him other than herself.

Crystal's association with him did cause her to wonder just how far things had gone between them She tried unsuccessfully to push back the jealousy she felt whenever Crystal and Erik exchanged secret glances toward one another. An urge to dump the tea kettle in the woman's lap Christine repressed although she did replay just such a scene over and over in her mind.

If this had been what Erik felt when he saw her and Raoul together she now could understand how his mind had let him go to such extremes. It did not excuse them but it did shed some light on what had driven him at that time. She would just have to make certain she took great pains to keep Erik focused on her until she and Erik came to some sort of understanding. If they could all keep reminding themselves to act like civilized beings just maybe everyone would walk away without any permanent scars.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Sorry this is so late. I visited my disabled sister in Kentucky. Couldn't wifi as everyone had locks on their internet. I was pleasantly surprised to come back to so many nice reviews and some new favorited story and author alerts. Glad more people are reading. **

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Woes of Wooing**

Raoul felt slightly put out. Demitri had been making eyes at Meg, quite successfully he might add. Christine and Erik took every chance to be alone as they became better acquainted. He felt like an unwanted step child. Never had he been the odd man out. For all the notice Crystal took of him he may as well be a worn out shoe.

Everyone had taken notice that Christine and Crystal stepped lightly around one another. If it had been anyone other than Erik causing this contention, the man in question would have been preening to have two beautiful women circling around him. He remained oblivious to everyone but Christine when in the company of others unless someone directly spoke to him. Raoul had decided not to take offense at Erik's pointed cold shoulder. He did not have any wish to speak with the man anyway. Erik did have a brilliant mind, one which should be encouraged to be expressed in a positive way. He had no doubts Christine would be a huge influence in that department.

Raoul looked from Crystal to Christine. They looked ready to pounce if one word from the other would be misconstrued. So far they had remained refined ladies. Raoul nearly chuckled out loud imagining a less refined lady than Crystal. Her language could rival any sailors on leave searching for a cathouse. She appeared not one whit embarrassed to have it known she had cohabitated with a man not of her family or having any matrimonial ties. Raoul had not missed the glances thrown at Crystal by Christine whenever anyone mentioned Erik and Crystal's time together over the last year.

Whenever Erik and Crystal did spend time together he wanted to come right out and ask them what their relationship had been before they had come to stay in his estate. Being none of his business did not belie the fact he desperately wanted to grill them both. He supposed everyone did really, but not being the polite subject for conversation in mixed company it would have to remain a subject for private conjecture.

Christine would pace around not far from wherever Erik and Crystal held their little tête-à-têtes. A library book held in her hand would be her excuse to be wandering around any room where they happened to be. _She simply must find the perfect place to read. Atmosphere could add so much to a story._ No one had the heart to tell her that story would not hold up in any courtroom in the world. Roul had his own confusing array of emotions. His teeth had become quite sore from all the jaw clenching he had been doing lately. Christine and Raoul were guilty of jealousy, pure and simple.

As hard as he tried to impress Crystal all his efforts had failed. She turned nasty whenever they were in the same room without the others, although there had been little chance of that as when he entered a room she exited it. If he occupied a room she came in then turned tail going right back out the door. If he were a person of less care for personal hygiene he might conclude he had something unpleasant about his smell. As it was he began to doubt his usual easy manner with people, especially women.

He had begun to feel somewhat sorry for himself. Always a man who prided himself on looking his best now he seemed to be obsessively so. All in all he must be spending an extra half hour in the morning just prepping himself for the day. Not even for Christine had he been this meticulous. Of course Christine had not treated him like a leper. Judging himself by Crystals reaction he may well have been the carrier of some plague.

Demitri had been no help at all. For him to see Raoul in such a state after years of winning so many of the women Demitri wanted, it seemed only just to watch Raoul be chasing his tail trying to win a woman's notice. Yes, karma had come full circle. Dimitri did not care to recall the number of women he had stolen from Raoul with a salute and a smile. Meg's interest did play a part in Dimitri's faulty memory.

Raoul begged to differ with Dimitris assessment of their younger years when competing for everything had been paramount in their lives. He could remember many occasions when Demitri had stolen some young thing right out from under his very nose. Had karma come to mess with Dimitri? Most assuredly not.

To make matters worse Christine and Erik had been keeping company every evening with no difficulties in sight. To everyone it looked as if they were at last coming to know one another in a normal manner. Christine seemed to have come into her own. She fairly blossomed under Erik's admiration. One could say the same about Erik. He appeared to become less tense when in the company of everyone, including Raoul.

Raoul had to admit Erik had seemed quite likeable lately. Of course that could be due to Christine's influence. She did tend to reprimand the man if he began to speak in terms not befitting a gentleman. Of course she did it so unobtrusively it had hardly been noticed. Erik did not mind her whispers in his ear. Raoul began to suspect Erik of subterfuge. How many times would a man of declared genius commit the same social faux pauxs?

The only reason Raoul had taken an interest had been his boredom. Everyone had someone to converse with save for himself. Crystal made a point of nabbing Antoinette during the evenings asking her all sorts of questions about her career as a dancer and instructor. Raoul had had about enough of the cold shoulder from Crystal. One more brush-off and there was no telling what he might do. The woman had been driving him mad since he met her. Why she held him captive in this way baffled him.

There were many women far more beautiful. Ones who did not shun his very touch or toss looks of scorn his way every chance they got. They would not treat him as if he were the bringer of war and pestilence. Something about her drew him against his will. After Christine he had planned to play among the bevy of beauties on the market. No law said he had to declare himself with the first one he spent time with. Knowing he would much rather be with Crystal than any ten women he could name caused him to feel unsettled.

If he remembered the conversations from his club correctly, a few of those "innocent" debutantes knew their way around a bedroom as well as many other rooms of interest. Perhaps he might just pay one of them a visit. Maybe an evening spent in the company of a woman doing what men and women were meant to do would cool his interest in his houseguest.

Surely there would be one of them willing to keep company with a man lonely after being let down by his fiancée, leaving him with a broken heart. Would not such a man need solace after being turned away because his intended found herself in love with another? No need to inform them the breakup had been mutual. Why lose that sympathetic edge? Women loved to think they soothed a man's broken heart while hoping to win his favor themselves.

Perhaps Erik had the right idea all along, well except for the whole blackmail, kidnap and burn down the opera thing. He seemed to have Christine eating out of his hands. To feel even a twinge of jealousy that Erik had someone and he did not seemed petty to Raoul but damned if he did not feel envy toward Erik. He had looks some would say, he had wealth and position in society, yet here he was a lonely, castoff, desperate for company, man about town.

To preserve his manly pride he must do something even if it erred on the side of stupid. In the best case scenario Crystal would be jealous, in the worst case she would find him a disgusting pig then for sure write him off as not worthy of her notice. Desperate times required desperate measures. Again Raoul compared himself to Erik. Had not Erik committed the same folly? The folly of acting on his desperation?

When Raoul announced he would be going into town to spend time at his club then perhaps visit one of the gaming halls Crystal nearly swallowed her tongue to keep from protesting out loud. Her mind may be screaming for him not to do any such thing but she kept all those shouting voices within her head silent even as they worked their way up her throat.

Her mind knew all too well that those clubs had rooms where men and women…well they did improper things. All that business of being a smoking lounge for men she knew to be so much hog wash. Yes they did indeed smoke in the front rooms of those establishments but in the back was where the real action could be found. The men of the opera house would brag about the one or two nights a year they could afford such luxuries.

Every man had a more shocking tale to tell. The drinking, gambling and womanizing were like some den of evil where men could commit unspeakable sins without retribution from society. Most of society turned their head away from such things being of the opinion boys will be boys. Hah! Nothing boyish had ever gone on behind those doors. A den of iniquity that is what they all were. Cesspools set up to trap unwary men into doing all sorts of wicked things. The blackguards who willingly partook of such things aside, those places could lead an honorable man astray.

If Raoul went through with his plan Crystal hoped he caught some deadly disease which caused a very important part of him to fall off, then let him try to…well he'd not do it again with that part long gone. Many more gruesome scenarios played out in her minds eye. She had not known about this vicious side of her before.

As soon as she could do so without anyone being suspicious, Crystal went to her room to wait at her window to see if he actually left the house. She would try to only think of him as he. He deserved no recognition as anything other than someone she felt impersonal about. She blocked out the fact that by spying out her window to catch a glimpse of him smacked of being more than disinterested.

Not an hour later the stupid man left. If he came back all liquored up and smelling of cheap perfume she hoped his horse dropped him on the road miles from home. God willing a freak winter storm would suddenly appear even it spring had only just come a month or so ago. If a monsoon blew up suddenly and carried him away to parts unknown it would be no less than he deserved. For a man she professed to not spare a moment of her time thinking about she sure put a lot of energy and thought into his demise as punishment for a crime he had not committed. If she did not care why did she take it so personally that he would be spending time with other women?

She hadn't even realized tears were falling until she felt one run down then drop off the edge of her chin. Blasted man. No one made her cry. Damn him anyway. Throwing herself down onto her bed she cried until she had no more energy to shed one more tear. It was then she began to curse Raoul de Chagny. Cursed him right into hell then wished him by her side in her very large, lonely bed.

In all her adult years never had it occurred to her to even want to share anything so intimate. Erik had been the first man she had even thought of in that way and her offer to him had been more as a way to get him over his suffering, not that it would have been any hardship to share such things with Erik. Mask aside, he looked far better than many men who walked about uncovered and should as a kindness to everyone wear a sack over their heads.

Money and handsome features did not necessarily guarantee a man had any goodness inside of him. As much as she hated to admit it Raoul had more than a handsome face or fat purse in his favor. The inner man she knew to be very kind and honorable. Look what he had done for Christine and Erik. He had gone out of his way to track down a man he had every reason to hate. Against all reason he had invited Erik to stay in his home. He had even allowed her to stay as well. He had no obligations to do that. Of course Erik would likely not have come if they had not let her travel with him. He would have made other arrangements along the lines of following Raoul home, killing him, then kidnapping Christine. Some things about Erik would never change. Part of his charm for her she supposed was that she could predict at times what he would do in any given situation.

Further proof of Raoul's considerate nature had been the fact that he had Antoinette and Meg staying with him without having any real connection to the women. Accounts in their name had been set up so they had funds readily available so they need not feel they must grovel for every franc. The fact that it all came from Raoul did not matter as it left the women some pride. There had been talk of repayment but no one pressed the issue, least of all Raoul.

Erik and she had a similar arrangement. She had her own accounts even if the funds had come from Erik. He gave because he cared. She stayed because she returned his affection. It felt nice to have that sort of connection to someone. Because it was someone like Erik, that made it all the sweeter. Sniffling piteously Crystal determined that at least she had someone who cared for her welfare. What did she need some pompous, self-absorbed, handsome, kind, every girl's dream sort of man for anyway?

She'd show him just how little she did care. Starting tomorrow she'd be…what? She had already tried avoidance. She had given him the nasty side of her tongue. What else could she do? Turning onto her stomach to lay with her head resting on her folded arms, Crystal gave serious thought to how to deal with the situation. Why had she tried to lie to herself? She had a thing for de Chagny. What exactly that meant she had not allowed herself to contemplate.

The one thing she hadn't tried had been civility. What harm could it possibly do to be nice to him? If she smiled once in a while the world wouldn't come to an end would it? Besides she had a feeling Antoinette wished to converse with the others occasionally. For darn sure Antoinette wished to speak with Christine and Erik instead of having to make polite conversation with Crystal every evening. If Erik hadn't been so preoccupied with Christine he would have noticed what had been going on.

For a man who had little interaction of a personal nature Erik could be quite astute. He had confessed to trying to study the women and men during his days at the opera house. Perhaps those people had not been the best examples of relationships other than a few exceptions, Madame, Meg and Christine being among the exceptions.

Looking at the clock Crystal calculated de Chagny had been gone a couple of hours. She couldn't help but wonder how often he had made use of these London gentlemen's clubs. France had them in abundance. None could be more decadent than the ones in Paris. Making the decision to try a new tactic with de Chagny, Crystal thought it best to at least make an attempt to sleep. What sort of impression could she hope to make with puffy eyes and a tired look?

Tomorrow she'd be sweet as honey toward the man. Before he knew it she'd have him bowing at her feet. With pictures of Raoul on his knees at her feet extolling her virtues, Crystal feel asleep with a contented smile on her tear streaked face.

Contrary to what Crystal thought Erik had been paying attention to what had been taking place between her and Raoul. He had even mentioned it to Christine. He had been baffled when Christine had angrily told him to mind his own business. Her face had gone all flushed as if a sudden fever had come upon her. She had folded her arms turning her shoulder toward him in an angry stance. He met her angry over the shoulder glance with one of confusion.

He must have looked as hurt and confused as he felt for Christine had apologized to him immediately. Her method of conciliation had been very pleasant. She had let him wrap his arm around her. Of course she had been shivering as she had forgotten her wrap. She seemed to forget her wrap most nights unless someone reminded her to bring it. If he were anyone else he might conclude she liked having his arm around her. He did not mind in the least so never suggested she might like to fetch her cloak.

Her confession to being jealous of Crystal astounded him. Nothing she could have said would have surprised him more. Christine being jealous of him would never have occurred to him as a reason she behaved so unreasonably. Thinking back over some of their evenings her lack of response, or more to the point angry silence, now became clear. She had been jealous of Crystal all this time. Such unexpected pleasure surged up inside of him it took all of his willpower to not crush her against his chest fiercely.

After that revelation he made sure to be careful about what he said. If he mentioned Crystal it would be only in relation to something she had done or said to Antoinette or Meg. Being a quick study Erik learned more every day how women and men interacted with one another. When he and Crystal would have their daily discussions Erik made sure to relay every single word they exchanged to Christine. She declared he need not inform her of what they spoke about but he did notice she never declined to hear what he had to say.

He learned that while truthfulness and trust between two people held an importance in a relationship, complete honesty need not apply to lovers. Little white lies were a necessity to maintain a balance of happiness and harmony so long as they would not hurt the other person. Women claimed to want nothing but the truth and for the most part they did unless the truth would be at odds with what they believed. Sometimes lying to save inflicting hurt could be a good thing.

So, knowing this, when Christine asked if ever he and Crystal had thought of becoming lovers, he had categorically said no. They had been and still were like brother and sister. His first white lie gave Christine peace of mind. He must have answered correctly because Christine had laid her head on his shoulder and held his hand for the rest of the evening.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I wanted to post this earlier but ff was not letting me log in. At last it is working again so here is the next chapter. Enjoy and review. I appreciate all my old reviewers and the new. I also would like to thank those of you who have favorited me as one of your favorite authors or one of my stories as your favorite. That is high praise indeed. **

**A/N: I did post this but it didn't show up on the page. I don't know if the alerts went out or not. I didn't get any reviews so I assumed no one knew it was up. I deleted it and now I am putting it back up. I hope it shows up this time. **

**Chapter Fourteen **

**Best Laid Plans **

Raoul awoke with a headache. He had not gone to any club but did remember stopping at a small pub instead. He had drank a little too much or rather a lot too much. He had given it an honest try to be a scoundrel. In the end thoughts of being with another woman had paled when he considered how Crystal would view such an action. Even if she turned him away her good opinion of him mattered.

He could recall being approached by several ladies with not so ladylike words for him when he refused their company. He could clearly remember seeing Crystal's face with a very dark disapproving look on her face if he even looked in the direction of those women. The woman may as well have been sitting beside him.

Lord he dreaded facing everyone this morning. He could bathe away the stench of the night's debauchery but his bleary red eyes would give away how he had spent his evening. If what he remembered represented the sum total of his evening there had been little debauching being accomplished. Why could he not be an inconsiderate scoundrel?

Dragging himself unsteadily to his bath, Raoul set about making himself somewhat presentable so that when he joined everyone at the table for breakfast he looked less like death warmed over.

Erik arose in a most unfamiliar good humor. The last week or so of Christine's constant company had done wonders for his dark outlook on life. Just being able to speak with Christine without a wall or mirror between them, felt heavenly. Fearing fate would snatch it all away from him if he showed too much happiness outwardly, Erik only let a glimmer of the joy he felt shine through.

Their conversations had been the sort men and women exchanged when learning about one another. Christine he had soon come to know had been far more intelligent than he had given her credit for when he taught her. She could speak on many different subjects without seeming as if she thought herself more informed than he was himself.

She asked his opinions on many subjects. Never having spoken so comprehensively with anyone other than Crystal, Erik had at first been rather nervous in case he made a fool of himself.

He still broke out in a sweat whenever she came near. His hands shook and he had nervous ticks he had not been aware of until recently. This unmanly behavior most young men suffered but not men who had reached a certain age as he had.

Neither of them felt completely at ease with the other. Christine hung her head when she spoke to him. Often she stuttered over even the simplest of words. Fearing that Christine still had some residual fears concerning him and trusting him, Erik had spoken to Crystal asking for her opinion on the matter.

Guiltily he had not been aware Crystal had been having troubles of her own to such a troubling level. Instead of the bright happy person he knew and cared about, a reticent, sad eyed young woman had stood before him.

When he asked her what troubled her, he would not let her avoid the issue with the innocuous answer of 'nothing important, don't worry'. He had never known Crystal to be one not to want to speak freely of either her own troubles or someone else's.

Her philosophy had always been things were better brought out into the light of day as the best method to chase away the shadows of uncertainty. Since almost his entire life thus far had been mainly lived in the shadows it had not been a point easily won for her. With just a few pointed questions posed in a friendly manner Erik had learned more from Crystal than if he had badgered or threatened her. Neither method would he ever use on her anyway. Consideration for her kept him from using anything from his old repertoire.

He had to say that opening up to Christine had been hard but thus far she had listened to all his confessions with an open mind. From the expressions on her face he gathered she did not like much of what he had to say but she had not passed judgment on him by refusing his offers to escort her through the gardens.

Last night had been particularly lovely with a full moon. He had thought he might try to steal a kiss but his nerve had deserted him at the last moment. Perhaps his intent had not been so unexpected as Christine had kept sending him covert glances from under her dark lashes. When nothing had been said or he had not made any move to even hold her hand he would have sworn he heard her sigh.

When he had answered her question about the relationship between Crystal and himself she had seemed pleased with his answer. She had even laid her head on his shoulder and held his hand. He had not dreamed those two gestures would ever come from any woman willingly.

When she told him that they should probably return she had sounded disappointed. Her disappointment had been driving him mad for the remainder of the night. Today he vowed to be extra attentive and then when next they ventured into the shadows of the garden he would attempt to kiss her. If she refused at least he had tried. This stagnant place they were in seemed safe but did not allow them to progress beyond mere conversation.

He'd be damned if spent the next twelve years speaking to her from some shadowy corner as he had the last twelve of their acquaintance. He had claimed a place in the light and he would stay there whether or not Christine came to care for him as he did her or not.

From the little he had been able to tell she did seem to have an interest in him. He had not imagined her responses to him on the two occasions he had her within his embrace. Crystal assured him that she had seen a certain look in Christine's eyes, the sort a woman has for a man she finds attractive.

Her advice had been to keep things light for a few days while gradually increasing their intimate touches. He had braved taking her hand a few times but had quickly taken his hand away as it had been slick with sweat.

If he had to spend one more night inhaling her seductive perfume without doing something rash he should be given some sort of award for his reticence. All the while they held polite conversation his mind drifted toward scenarios where he kissed her senseless.

In those fantasies she kissed him back. A few times his fantasies had gotten a little too far from mere kisses. On those occasions he had to bite his tongue to keep from groaning aloud. If he had stood she would have been able to see his response to her very plainly poking against the front of his trousers.

He had heard men can go insane from deprivation of sexual contact. Was it any wonder he had gone slightly insane with the years he had spent in celibacy? His libido had been well and truly awoken these past few days. He must do something to find relief or go crazy once more.

Glancing at the clock he saw he did not have much time before he must join everyone downstairs. A cold bath seemed in order what with the stiff show his manhood was putting on after all those sinful thoughts of Christine.

Christine herself had been having some very inappropriate notions about Erik. Last night she had gone to Meg's room so she might tell her sister just what her mind had been conjuring up for her to see. She and Meg had always shared secrets. The only one she had kept had been about her tutor. Even then she had told Meg in the end about her Angel of Music.

They had talked until the sun began to rise this morning. To say she had been given a shock would be to put things mildly. Meg had her own confessions.

It would seem Monsieur de Chagny, Demitri that is, had been wooing her quite vigorously. Christine had not known whether to reprimand Meg or ask her the secret she possessed when she spoke of kissing Demitri and various other things.

In the end Christine had chosen knowledge over rebuking Meg for doing what young people the world over managed to do beyond the keen watchful eyes of their parents.

Meg had been quite proud of the fact that she had been the one to initiate that first kiss. Demetri had been trying to behave himself for her benefit. In the beginning she had found it charming but later it had been frustrating when all she could do was think of his lips on her own. One night she had been watching his lips while he spoke and the next she had silenced him very satisfactorily.

Christine had staggered to her own room to lay thinking about how she might use the information Meg had departed to her. Her heart beat pounded in her chest when she recalled those kisses she had given to Erik just before they separated.

Lord but the man had soft warm lips. For a moment Christine had been rooted to the spot in wonder. If he had not angrily told them to leave him alone and to forget all about him she would most likely have made a fool of herself.

In fact she had gone back to give him the ring in an attempt to have him begging her to stay. Instead he had looked at her with his green eyes drowning in tears and misery as he told her he loved her.

Why had he not asked her to stay once more? If he had asked maybe she could have found the bravery she needed to stay with him. She could remember how confused she had felt at that moment. One word from him and she would have told Raoul to leave without her.

Thinking how gallant Raoul had been and under the influence of love perhaps it had been best they left. If she had chosen to stay Raoul would have seen it as his duty to take her back where she would be safe in the arms of her family.

Knowing Madame as she did it would not be impossible to think she herself would have tracked them down. Meg had gone against her mother and traveled the tunnels to find Erik's home. She had gone looking for Raoul and her sister. Not knowing what she would face Meg had braved it all to find Christine.

With the mob searching his home Meg had taken Erik's mask then gone into the escape route Erik had hidden behind the mirror he had broken. He had not let her find him. If some of the stragglers of the mob had not found her Meg may well have died down in one of those tunnels. Erik had safeguarded his home very well with many traps.

When Erik had told her that he had been shot a couple of nights later, Christine had choked back the tears for all he had suffered. She would never be able to thank Crystal properly for all she had done for Erik.

If they could get passed this first kiss, Christine had plans how she could begin making things up to Erik for all his years of suffering. He needed some tender loving care. She would make it her life's mission to show him just what it meant to be loved by someone.

Yes, love. No more denials. Christine felt she had gone passed the fondness stage. Women did not feel as she did about mere friends. If she had been brave enough she would have jumped Erik long before now. In her dreams she had done much more than kiss him.

All those passionate operas and books she had read had not been wasted. They had fueled her mind with some very vivid imagery. It would not come easily for her to act so boldly but one of them had to make the first move. She felt it should be her so there would be no misunderstandings about her response.

He would know for certain how she felt about him. If it took more than one kiss she would not be adverse to that. Perhaps it might take several to convince him of her sincerity. Whatever it took she would willingly do it just to prove to him that she felt him worthy of her even if he did not.

She had not liked it when his moods took him into places where he could only see the bad in himself. When that happened she had to use her recollections of the many kind things he had done for her over the years.

Madame had told her Erik had given her and Meg support at times as well. It had not been his fault that almost everyone he encountered feared him, including herself at one time.

Now she knew all her fear of him had not been because of his criminal actions but because of all those confusing emotions he had brought out in her. Being naïve as to what those emotions meant she had hidden behind Raoul's safe broad shoulders.

Another type of man would have made her honor her promise to marry him or at least give more than kisses as a reward. Now that Erik had returned to her she felt glad she and Raoul had not gone beyond kissing. Truth be told she couldn't say he had even tempted her to want to do anything more, unlike…well unlike Erik who brought out a side of her that had been just under the surface waiting for the right man to light the fire.

Well that fire had been lit and only one man could douse the flames, her Angel of Music.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Tomorrow is D-day or I should say L-day as I am seeing a lawyer. I pray he is a good one. My friends I have met through my stories and my appreciation for Gerry's portrayal of the Phantom are what is getting me through this bad patch I am having at the moment. I want to thank each and every one of you who posted to wish me well and those who pm'd me. I need all the support I can get. **

**Chapter Fifteen**

**One Kiss, One Love**

Breakfast had been rather a quiet meal with many surreptitious glances being cast about. Erik had caught Christine eyeing him no fewer than a dozen times. What he saw in her glance toward him he could only hope to be what he thought. He dare not assume anything as he had been wrong about the depth of her feelings for him before. Courting and all it entailed was a new concept to him. He dare not make any mistakes.

It had surprised him when Crystal had been civil to Raoul. It must have shocked the man into silence as he had only spoken a couple of sentences during the whole meal. Raoul did cast several puzzled glances toward Crystal. This cordiality from her had not been forthcoming before and after last night he had expected an even colder reception with many cutting remarks. To his consternation she smiled in a friendly fashion causing him to wonder if he truly sat at the table or still lie in his bed dreaming.

Meg and Demitri were in their own world. Antoinette looked from one to the other of her fellow diners shaking her head from time to time muttering about imbeciles, idiots, young fools and various other derogatory things. Youth in her opinion was wasted on the young. Only life experience gave one any sense.

Everyone went their own way until lunch. Things really became awkward during lunch with Christine and Erik looking at one another without trying to let anyone see them watching one another. Crystal had managed to sit next to Raoul. Her shoulder and thigh rubbing his own affected his fingers for suddenly he could not seem to hold any cutlery. He dropped his knife and fork no fewer than three times during the meal.

Pointedly he moved his chair a few inches from her. When he looked in her direction her former smile had drooped a bit. A sparkle in the corner of her eye looked suspiciously like a teardrop. He chided himself for thinking such foolish thoughts about her. He stared broodingly into his plate then looked up giving Crystal a dark look which she could not see as she stared fixedly at her plate.

The dinner hour arrived with everyone still behaving oddly. Crystal began to wish dinner over even before she sat down to eat. She did not begrudge Erik his happiness but seeing him and Christine acting like unsure teenagers (which in Christine's case may well be true) made her all jittery as to how she felt about a certain de Chagny man. She had tried her best to let him know she held no il-will toward him. She had even managed to take the seat beside his in hopes of striking up a convivial conversation. From the looks he had cast in her direction his thoughts concerning her were very unpleasant indeed. She refused to let one single tear fall for that man.

Erik had wanted to speak with Christine at lunch but she had foiled him by stating she would be returning to her room. For what purpose she would be staying in her room she had not enlightened them. She did look rather tired as did Meg. He supposed they had spent the hours into the early morning conversing as they had done in the days at the opera house. He could not help but hope Christine might have spoken to Meg about him. Perhaps it showed vanity to want such a thing but if so then call him vain.

He could not be vain about his looks or birth. What little pride he could muster by other means he would take them and be grateful. What man did not want the woman he admired to think highly of him? All day he had been on tenterhooks. Everyone seemed to have vanished after the afternoon meal. In desperation he had found the music room where he sat playing and composing a melody in his head. Not having any papers or ink he committed the notes to memory. He must say having Christine back in his life had turned his music away from the dark notes of the past few months. A more romantic melody had been playing inside his mind waiting to be released.

During the evening meal Christine had once again been showing a considerable amount of attention to him. All this concentrated attention had Erik all nervous. He nearly knocked his wine glass over several times. He dare not let his imagination get the better of him in case it led to disappointment.

The smiles Christine sent his way did not seem to offer mere friendly encouragement. Unless his mind played tricks on him it looked as if she were…well damned if it did not look as if she were giving him coquettish glances from under her lowered lashes. There appeared to be a seductive slant to her lips.

Erik could feel his blood heating even while he admonished himself to calm down. If dinner lasted much longer he may throw caution to the wind and jump across the table so he might whisk Christine into some private corner of the garden. He did not know how much longer his gentlemanly tendencies could withstand constant temptation. His body felt all too ready to take things further than he knew Christine would want to go.

The moment dinner ended Erik had thought to ask Christine to join him in a moonlight walk in the gardens. To his surprise and delight she suggested that very thing before he could voice his own request. With alacrity Erik accepted Christine's invitation. Halfheartedly it seemed to him she also included the others in her invitation. He could not say if his glare in everyone's direction had them crying off or they genuinely did not care to go. He cared neither one way nor the other.

As in previous evenings their walk led them past several charmingly placed beds of varying flowers. Every evening they came to the roses Erik would choose the most perfect one of all the blooms to pick for Christine. If nothing else Erik had learned how to play the romantic swain to his lady love. The blushes upon Christine's cheeks had enchanted him every single time. He imagined she would always retain her innocent demeanor. Not for her the crass attitudes of the new age of women.

Christine he felt sure knew exactly how to achieve everything she wanted without resorting to steamroller tactics some women were learning in the women's rights movements beginning all over the world. Erik personally applauded those brave women. For too long the women in the theatrical world had been taken advantage of as well as thought poorly about when it came to their morals. Antoinette he knew with absolute certainty had kept her sheets free of men's sweat until she had needed to do so to support her and Meg.

Many women were forced to appease patrons of the theatre others chose to do so at their own initiative. More were of sound moral foundations than the general populace would believe. Erik still felt shamed to think all he could have done and did not when he thought of Antoinette and Meg's situation. The paltry sum he had sent to Antoinette did not repay one years worth of loyalty she had given to him let alone twenty years.

At the time though he had been very hurt and confused about the direction his life would take. Not having time to come to any rational decisions had him making less than adequate gestures toward the very woman he owed his life. He must speak with her at one point to beg her forgiveness.

Once he and Christine were out among the stars Erik lost what little composure he had while eating his meal and having her looking at him in such a suggestive manner. At least his limited experience had seen it as suggestive. He startled when Christine placed her hand within his own. They had held hands so few times it still held all the newness as if it were the first time. He looked down at their linked hands. In a strange sort of way it seemed symbolic.

He motioned for her to take a seat. When her hand slipped from his suddenly it felt very cold. Just that slight contact had warmed him in a way he had never felt before. Once he took the seat beside her his mind went blank. A moment ago he had several things he had thought they might discuss but now that the time had come to speak he drew a blank. He turned his face toward the night sky as if he might find an answer in the moon or stars.

"Erik, I don't want to alarm you but I am going to kiss you. Not a friendly kiss on the cheek. I just thought you should know so I did not startle you in any way." Christine had gulped loudly before speaking. He must have heard her nervous swallowing as it had seemed almost deafeningly loud to her ears.

Erik's head had whipped in her direction the moment she had spoken his name and kissing in relation to one another. When she leaned forward he had not time to think of any sort of response. As he felt her soft lips cover his own, any sane thought floated into the great beyond. His heart beat so quickly and so hard she must feel the vibrations in her own chest. It might be unmanly but he felt quite faint. His shaking hands felt slick with perspiration.

Nothing about the kiss carried great passion. She simply placed her lips on his as if testing him. Realizing his eyes were still open staring off into the night he closed them. In the darkness behind his eyes new sensations worked their way up inside of him.

Before he could consciously make any decisions he found himself giving a loud groan as he pulled Christine to him then across his legs. He felt as if he had been possessed by someone else and was being pulled along for the ride. Christine's gasp allowed him to slip his tongue into the inner sweetness of her mouth. Lord above but it felt so sweet yet inflaming at the same time. Her innocent groan nearly drove him out of his mind.

His hands began a slow path as his fingers kneaded along her flesh. He felt Christine's fingers gripping the front of his jacket. Her tongue ran along his own daringly. When his hand found its way to the front of her dress Erik jerked his hand back as if she had suddenly turned into fire. Holding her away from him by her shoulders he spoke haltingly trying to apologize while catching his breath. He felt ashamed to have lost control in that way. She had given him an innocent kiss and he had nearly taken her on the bench.

"Oh God Christine I am so sorry. I didn't mean… please forgive me. I…"

He stumbled to a stop when he heard her laugh softly as she said, "Stop it Erik. I knew exactly what I was doing. I may not be a woman of the world but darn it, I have been coming out here every night thinking each night would be the night you kissed me. I couldn't stand one more night wondering if you would feel the same as when I kissed you before. Those kisses have been in my dreams more nights than I care to admit.

Erik, I know things can not be settled by just a few kisses. There are many things we must sort out before…well before…Oh goodness. I am assuming…but perhaps you don't…I…I mean a kiss doesn't mean you…"

"Christine, I want no other lips touching mine. Nothing for me has changed where you are concerned except perhaps I love you even more deeply than before. I will not press for any commitment from you. As you say we have much to discuss. I want us to know one another before…if you wish it that is…before we go any further."

Erik slid Christine back across his lap nearly groaning aloud at the friction against his engorged manhood. Gingerly he lifted her a bit hoping not to have her sliding against him again. A man could only take so much. Once sitting beside him Christine folded her arms as she pouted. It wouldn't take much coercion from her to have him changing his mind.

Unfolding her arms Christine turned to Erik so she could see his face as she spoke to him. She knew he had not rejected her entirely. He had been thinking of her when he stopped things as he had done. Knowing what she had done might have pushed a lesser man to the brink she could not help but admire his concern for her welfare.

Knowing Erik to be right but not willing to forgo all intimacy Christine said, "I agree with what you have said for the most part. It is too soon for us to…well to do certain things but if you think I will forgo kissing you Erik then you are mistaken."

She looked him squarely in the eye letting him read the truth shining in her eyes. If he thought he could stop with only one kiss he would bring her back into his arms. Since his body had as yet not returned to a relaxed state he thought it best to delay any further contact for a while. At least now he knew he had not forever ruined himself in her eyes. Tonight she had given him hope for their future. It may need to be taken slowly but he had waited this long for any happiness to come his way. He could wait until they were both ready to proceed.

He felt such an overwhelming love for this woman. He had not worried about her youth before but now he did. They had many years between them. His face did not instill others with any kind thoughts. It amazed him the Christine could touch him, kiss him, admit out loud she wanted to do all those things men and women did while courting. He had not declared in words that he would be courting her but felt she had to know where he wished to go with their relationship.

She alone gave him more joy than even his music. She saw in him things others could not. A lesser woman would have gone screaming into the night before allowing him to have his lips pressed to theirs. Christine had instigated their passionate exchange. He would woo her as she should be wooed by her intended. She deserved all the romance other women received from the man professing his love. Never would he repeat his past mistakes with Christine. This time if they were to be together it would not be by force or trickery. It would be her choice.

This time he had more to offer her than life lived hidden in the shadows as wife to a ghost and phantom. He was a man of substance. Knowing Christine had never been one to look down on those of a lesser standing in society he knew his wealth would mean little to her. He must show her that he himself deserved her and could provide for all of her needs.

The art of simple conversation while taking a walk had been a gigantic feat for Erik. He had nearly panicked that first time he and Christine were alone. She had put him at his ease. She had listened with interest to all he had to say. He did not think she had been bored. During the walk she had even offered several points of her own concerning the matter under discussion.

Now Erik scrambled for something to say that would take his mind away from things better left in the very back of his mind. He did not want to frighten her with his over stimulated manly parts or his reaction to her nearness.

"Erik, I feel as if I have shocked you into silence. That had not been my intention. Let us speak of your music. That is something we both find fascinating." Christine had hurriedly tried to think of something to say before Erik retreated too far from her. He had a habit at times of going into some far away place when he felt uneasy. Her intention had not been to rush him in any way but she had wanted to bring them forward a little concerning how they interacted with one another.

When he remained silent Christine began to ask him questions about any recent work he might have to play for her. Talk about his music loosened Erik's tongue. He told her excitedly about the new piece he had been composing this very morning. In the back of Erik's mind he felt a niggle of doubt creeping in. He had declared his love for Christine but she had not reciprocated.

She had not outright claimed to love him, neither had she indicated she felt neutral toward him. Her kiss had seemed to hold more than mere affection. Perhaps he had misread her feelings. The more time that passed the less sure Erik felt about Christine's affections. By the time he walked her to her room and wished her good-night he felt certain his mind had elaborated on her response to him. His own emotions had led him into seeing more there than actually had been there to see.

He tried to recall her words but his insecurities had him recalling things in a different context than they had originally been said. Damn fool. He was a damn fool.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen **

**Misunderstandings Abound**

Crystal had done everything she could think of to gain some bit of approval from Raoul. Other than dance on the table naked she saw nothing else which might gain his attention. He had been all too willing to try to gain her attention when she had been avoiding speaking to him or showing him any notice. Now he acted as if she were no more than a speck of dust on his dining room table. It occurred to her that perhaps she had gone a little overboard giving him the cold shoulder. Playing hard to get had been one thing but turning him against her completely had not been her plan at all. Had she even had a plan? Confusion over her feelings had left her somewhat off kilter.

Things had gone no better when the others had gone about their usual evening routine one dinner had come to an end. Antoinette had waited for Crystal to waylay her as she usually did but Crystal did not have the heart for another evening discussing…what the heck had they discussed all those evenings? Racking her brain, Crystal could think of nothing substantial that had been passed from one to the other. No wonder Antoinette had looked relieved to be without her evening's companion. Now Crystal understood the hasty retreat Antoinette had made toward the stairs. Another evening spent with a companion who rambled on about nonsense likely would have driven the woman insane.

She had caught site of Raoul heading to the atrium. It was a place he went to when he needed to have his parents closer to him. That room had been their favorite place Raoul had told them. Biting her lip, Crystal wondered if she dared approach him there. Even if they did share a room for a time she doubted she would be able to go without making some disparaging remark about Raoul's whereabouts last night until early this morning.

Not being any of her business did not preclude her from having an opinion on the matter especially in light of her recently discovered feelings toward the dratted man. His behavior during the evening had led her to believe Raoul's attention before had been a case of "if you don't want me I want you all the more then once I have you I don't want you at all".

Of course Raoul did not have any idea Crystal had changed her mind about him. If she had not been so foolish, he might not have sought out other women, women who were more amiable than she had been. Men did not like to have to work so hard for a ladies attention, Erik being one of the exceptions. Men had the attention span of a flea. She should have known there had been more to her behavior than merely disliking the man because of his association with Erik's pain. That had played a big role in her attitude but her attitude had gone over the top for merely dislike.

She found her feet moving in the direction of the atrium without her conscious permission to do so. Wondering what she could say once she arrived her feet slowed, then stopped movement altogether. Finding herself being heralded by a hissing sound Crystal looked to the side. She had come to a stop in front of the library where Meg and Demitri had been doing…well it was quite obvious what they had been up to.

Meg's hair had been mussed and her lips were swollen from more than just one kiss. The rosy bloom on her cheeks had not been put there by a chilly night breeze. Demitri looked no better. His hair stuck out at all angles from where fingers had been combing through his thick mane. His cravat had been untied and hung loosely down from around his neck.

Looking closer Crystal could see several buttons on his shirt unbuttoned and if she had not been mistaken Meg's blouse had been tucked in at dinner and all the buttons had been in the correct button holes. Now the hem struck her hips on the outside of her skirt and there were gapping places in the fabric where buttons had been hurriedly replaced in the wrong holes.

"Crystal if you are looking for that cousin of mine I think you might find him brooding in the atrium. Perhaps you could find something to cheer him up? His evening last night did not go as he had planned. Seems he spent the night drinking at some pub or other then came home not feeling up to facing anyone so went straight to bed. I do believe he came home long before midnight. He rode around back to the stable so as not to wake anyone.

He even took care of his own horse. Dear cousin Raoul always was such a thoughtful man. Anyone who might be looking out the window, let us say until the early hours, would not have seen him return. It would be a real shame if he did not find someone who could bring him out of this terrible sadness he has found himself in. I feel it is a crime for someone of Raoul's caliber to be alone. A real shame."

Meg felt Demitri squeeze her side prompting her to add her opinion to what he had said, "Oh…yes, a real shame. Such a nice and handsome man should not have to spend time alone. I think he would welcome some company about now. He looked so sad during dinner." She turned to Demitri to ask, "Don't you think he looked sad Demitri?"

"Why yes as a matter of fact I do. I think he has something on his mind that is bothering him. It can't be Christine as he has resolved that issue. Do you have any idea what could be bothering him Crystal?" The way Demitri raised his brow and smiled led one to believe he had the belief Crystal might be the cause of Raoul's despair.

Blushing Crystal stated, "I have no clue whatsoever what could cause Raoul de Chagny any worry at all. It is nothing to me anyway if he drinks himself into oblivion while wallowing in self-pity."

She hoped she sounded convincing. She must not have as Meg patted her hand as she smiled at Crystal. Leaning forward Meg whispered, "If you care for him don't be foolish and wait too long to give in. He may wait for a while but not forever. If I am wrong then I apologize. I just want to see him happy after what he has done for Christine. I know of only one other man who would have done as Raoul has."

Meg glanced over her shoulder to give Demitri a warm smile. His gentle squeeze at her waist acknowledged her indirect compliment.

Crystal realized she had become a third wheel at this point. Meg and Demitri had returned to the world of two. Determinedly she headed back down the long hall toward the atrium. She would come to some understanding with de Chagny or…well if he didn't feel the same she'd be heading for the hills with her tale between her legs. At least she would know if he cared or not.

Not for one more night would she deny how she felt. Fighting against herself had been too wearing. It would have been easier to fight an actual found Raoul sitting slouched in a chair with his legs extended out in front of him. At first glance he looked relaxed but one look at his face and one could tell he had a burden weighing him down.

Knowing he had no romantic feelings toward Christine lead Crystal to believe that perhaps she might be weighing heavy on his mind. Of course a man in his position would have many important matters to garner his concern. What would a lowly woman have that would even have him noticing her presence?

Now that she had found him what did she do? Every thought having gone from her head she hesitated then sat in the chair opposite to his. He had not attempted to rise at her entrance. He did not even acknowledge her presence. She looked around feigning interest in her surroundings. That tactic could only last so long without one of them saying something. Neither of them seemed ready to break the silence any time soon.

Crystal nearly fainted from the shock when Raoul surged to his feet shouting angrily, "What have you done to me woman?"

He ran his hands through his hair mussing it drawing her eyes to the wildly disarrayed strands. Her fingers tingled with the urge to comb through those soft blond strands.

When Crystal remained silent Raoul took the couple of paces that separated them so he stood directly in front of her peering down into her flushed face. Grabbing her none too gently he pulled her to her feet. Standing nose to nose he exclaimed, "Enough of this. I can't stand any more. I tried to forget you. I tried to replace you. Damn it, I can't. You are a constant voice in my head. I see you even when you are not there. You are the last thing I think of at night and the first thing I think of when I open my eyes. I must know. Can you come to care for me? Do you care for me?"

Not giving her a chance to answer one way or the other, Raoul pulled her roughly to him. Slamming his lips against hers he allowed all his pent up emotions to travel through that kiss. She would have no doubts about how he felt once he finished with her.

Surprise kept Crystal from responding at first. He gave her no chance for a gradual buildup of passion. He was all fire and demand from the first touch of lip to lip. Once she got her bearings she threw her arms around his waist pulling him tightly against her. Using his arms Raoul lifted her off her feet as he felt her tongue dueling with his own.

Groaning passionately Raoul moved forward to the place he recalled seeing a settee. At least he hoped he headed in the right direction. It would not do for him to drop her on the floor ruining his romantic intentions. Feeling his forward movement come to a stop Raoul lowered her down. He followed her as he held the kiss. By now her arms were around his neck. When she lay flat Raoul gently settled his weight on her.

His right leg lay slightly bent at the knee as the settee would not allow his full length to stretch out. His left leg hung over the edge with his foot on the floor. Soon the cramp in his legs alerted him to the fact that this settee while perfectly fine for sitting would not work as a place for seduction.

Hating to separate just when they were getting on like a house on fire, Raoul released her lips. Her eyes remained closed. The dreamy look on her face as well as the secretive smile on her lips had him nearly saying to hell with comfort. He'd worry about that latter once he crippled himself.

Feeling the cool air where just moments before she had been warmed by Raoul, Crystal opened her eyes. He did not look any happier to end their exchange than she had been. The ache in her back reminded her that perhaps this place would not work well for either of them. Sitting up she ran her hands over her hair smoothing down the few strands that had come loose. Raoul ran his fingers through his own hair mussing it even more. Abruptly he sat down beside her.

Not being able to resist she combed her fingers through the soft strands of his hair. It felt as wonderful as she thought it might. Having smoothed it back into place she decided she liked it a little mussed. Reaching out she mussed it again.

"What did you do that for?" Raoul considered she might have some fetish for hair. Hopefully it only manifested itself in feeling it with her fingers and not cutting it off as a souvenir.

"I like you better a little mussed. It gives you a just out of bed look." Thinking over what she had said a moment Raoul then lifted his hands to further damage his well groomed look.

Crystal laughed at his antics. He in turn smiled at her. Gradually their smiles faded as they drew together again to share a kiss. This time it started soft and gentle giving them both time to savor one another. They explored the inner recesses of their mouths thoroughly. Only when things led to a point where they would need to either call a halt or seek a more spacious place to make love did they pull apart.

At first they just looked deeply into one another's eyes. Raoul being the gallant soul he had always been declared his feelings first, thereby risking her rejection. He felt confident of her feelings after those passionate exchanges. Crystal did not hesitate to follow his declaration with one of her own. Having settled that issue, now they could discuss things rationally without anyone letting pride stand in their way.

Indeed they did discuss things but it took far longer than it needed to as they gave in to their emotions several times thereby delaying coming to the conclusion of their night until the early hours of the morning.

**A/N: As I know everyone wants every chapter to be Christine/Erik maybe I'll post another chapter tomorrow or the next day. Things will heat up but won't get M rating. In deference for the dear friend who encouraged me to write this story I am keeping it toned down sex wise. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Courting **

It had nearly killed Raoul to let Crystal go last night but he had. She had been just as reluctant to leave. He had warned her unless she had been prepared to go to the next step in their relationship she had better take her one chance to leave or he would take the matter into his own hands. After a long look into his eyes he felt were filled with desife for her, Crystal had kissed him hard on the mouth then scampered to the safety of her room with only a short stop at the top of the stairs to throw him a kiss. If she had stood their one second longer he would have gone up those stairs and no door would have saved her from him coming to claim her. He had desired Christine of course but nothing compared to the raw need he had felt for Crystal. What he had felt for Christine seemed a pale reflection of what his emotions were for this new woman.

It frightened him a little to feel so strongly for someone he had only met a short time ago. He had rushed things with Christine and that had ended badly. Before he made any rash decisions he must make certain his emotions were real and not another case of being the white knight saving a damsel, although anyone less like a damsel in distress than Crystal he had yet to meet such a person.

Hearing sounds in the hall Raoul groaned knowing he had to get up and face the day. With luck he could get through the day without making a perfectly ridiculous spectacle of himself. His heart and body said to hell with waiting but his mind bade him to be cautious. His heart beat a little faster just thinking of seeing Crystal again. His bath this morning had been somewhat hurried. He hoped he had cleaned all the places he needed to as he had plans of being very close to a particular guest this morning and it was not one he wanted to be smelling of yesterday's filth around.

Raoul had not been the only one losing sleep last night. Erik had hardly closed his eyes at all. As a result he felt bleary eyed and lazy. If he had been in his own home he would have drawn the covers over his head until later in the evening. As it was he must take a bath then ready himself to face the others, Christine in particular. He glanced briefly in the mirror wondering if his face would show how he and Christine had spent the evening. For certain he would not be able to look at her and not show how he felt, really he never had. Just hearing her speak in everyday tones had sent him into wondrous daydreams once his heart had been hers to do with as she would.

Thoughts of how the evening had gone the night before had kept his mind swirling around until his mind had become a twisted maze of conlusions and doubts. In the end he had concluded himself to be a fool. Not for having believed Christine cared for him but for letting his own doubts and insecurities to doubt how she felt for him. Christine could not have responded to him as she had if she felt nothing. What woman would allow herself to be pulled onto the lap of a man they had no intimate feelins for without protesting until the sun came up?

Christine had neither rejected him verbally nor physically. If he remembered correctly and he felt sure he did, Chritine had initiated many of the intimacies they had explored last night. Erik smiled wickedly when his mind replayed a few such actions. What he and Christine had shared thus far filled his mind and body with such pleasure he dare not imagine what would happen when they came together in the biblical sense. All of France could well burn from the intensity of their union.

When he did rejoin the others he must not give anyone reason to speculate just what had taken place between them last night. He doubted anyone would care other than to assure themselves his intentions were honorable. The leap of his heart at just thinking of spending a lifetime with Christine tied together in a vow made before God nearly had him leaping from the bed to shout to the world that Christine Daaé would soon be his wife. Reminding himself that he would only think positively he pushed back the old doubts clamoring for him to be cautious.

He doubted if he could keep the proprietary look from his eyes, justified or not. In his mind she belonged to him, had always belonged to him. Not in the way of a possession but in the way of lovers destined to be together. They had been created to come together. He felt in his soul they shared more than this earthly connection. Since the first moment she had stepped inside the walls of the opera house, Christine had been destined to be his salvation, his redemption.

With her he could go beyond being a mere ghost who could produce music no one would hear. He would transcend being the voice coming from the shadows that could entrance others into feeling transported into another world. Having Christine at his side as his mate would make him a man in the eyes of the world. He would gain substance, never needing to slink back into the darkness of the shadowy world he had grown up in as a child. Perhaps, God willing he and Christine might one day create a child with the parts of him that were a blessing and the parts of Christine that made her the wonderful person she had always been.

Erik wanted this new life that dangled just within his grasp. All he needed to obtain it now was to show Christine he had changed. If he could show her he no longer had the tendencies of a monster then maybe they might have a chance to begin a life together. All of the possibilities of what might happen made him nervous. Too much of his dreams depended on someone else. He found it hard to place his trust into anyone's hands so completely, even Christine's. He must do so if he hoped to gain what he wanted. If he had to keep reminding himself to trust in her love then he would recite a litany daily if need be.

If he had to apologize in person to Raoul to gain Christine's complete approval he would do so. He may choke as he said the words but he would spit them out if she wished for him to come to her with one less sin on his conscience. The blackness in his soul may take years of confession to cleanse. The pain of confronting all of his misdeeds would be worth the end result if he found favor with Christine.

It concerned him that she had not reciprocated with words of love or even warm affection. Yes she had kissed him and as much as it pained to think of such things, she had likely kissed Raoul many times other than those he had witnessed on the rooftop. Nothing about those kisses had been mere friendly exchanges. Christine must have felt some attraction as well as affection for Raoul or she would not have gone along with Raoul's plans to capture the man from the shadows. With new found confidence Erik examined all of the past with this new clearer vision of things. In the past he had not given Christine much choice how she could respond to him. Threats and force had not won him anything but her fear and hate.

Honestly he could say Christine likely had saved his life that night she had given him back his soul. He had not been equiped at that ime to relate to her as a man should relate to the woman he plans to share a lifetime with. He would have tried his best to please her but living alone did not give one many skills to deal with another person on a day to day basis. Crystal had withstood his less than cordial nature only because she had stood against adversity as he had. She gave him no quarte, spared him no pity so that she would allow him to use his past as a crutch to commit bad actions. The past did not have to rule ones future unless they aloud it to rule them. He had chosen not to do that with Cystal's help and now with Christine's continued support.

Knowing in his mind Raoul now held no threat to him, Erik still did not feel as if he could ever claim the man as a friend but for Christine he could be cordial. After all the man had come to bring Erik back to Christine even offering to let him share the very roof his family lived under. Without doubt Erik knew he would not be so generous to an old foe. His mistrust of others had been too deeply engrained for him to go out of his way to help others. Antoinette, Meg and Crystal he did not count as any hindrance. Money was nothing compared to the kindnesses people gave to those they loved. Erik could give every person he met a small fortune yet Raoul would be considered the better man as he gave of himself and not just his coins.

Hurrying through his morning ablutions Erik found himself eager to be among the others. That alone could be counted as a small miracle as Erik had for most of his life shunned and been shunned by most people. He had preferred the safety of the night. Heading down the stairs Erik nearly took a header straight down when Christine come to the bottom to look up at him with such a smile on her face that it stole the very breath from him.

"Erik I have been waiting for over half an hour for you. The maid I spoke to said you are usually an early riser so I made certain to be down early and you were not here. I began to worry that you might be unwell."

When he reached the bottom step she took both of his hands in her own. Pulling him down the last step she then leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek. A very sedate gesture on her part but it caused such unexpected reactions within him. He gave her a tentative smile trying to keep his lustful thoughts to himself. He must have succeeded as she did not blush to the roots of her hair. She returned his look steadily. He had no thoughts of resistance when she began to lead him into the breakfast room. Everyone else had taken their seats but had not been served their breakfast yet. Once Erik and Christine had taken their seats Raoul rang a little bell beside his plate.

Contrary to the last few days of quiet this morning everyone appeared all too eager to participate in conversation with the exception of Erik who did not participate much in any case. All had gone back to normal, other than secretive smiles being exchanged across the table.

Antoinette observed this new state of pleasantries among everyone. At last it would seem Erik would have his chance to prove himself to Christine. Her daughter had found a young man of sound financial background and of a kind heart. Raoul had even managed to find someone to fill the void in his life after Christine. Perhaps she would point out to everyone that but for Erik's diabolical plan none of them would be in this happy condition now. Well perhaps some of the credit did belong to Raoul to be fair.

Who knows how things would have turned out if either man had been a different personality? Erik for one would be living a life of misery as he pined for Christine. He may have found some semblance of peace but never could he forget the love of his life. If she knew nothing else she now felt certain Erik and Christine had been destined to be joined together. Now all she needed to do was sit back and watch them either make fools of themselves by denying what had been in front of them all along or accepting what God had offered them and living the lives they were meant to live.

The next few weeks should be interesting to say the least. Indeed everyone managed to continue to be on their best behavior. Raoul and Erik even managed to exchange a few words without resorting to threats of violence. Raoul for his part felt Erik would be the best person to inquire about Crystal. He felt she had some sort of emotional attachment to him but he didn't want to assume anything. He had made that colossal mistake already and that did not bear repeating.

Erik had been somewhat surprised to have Raoul asking anything of him other than to leave his home or refrain from coming within speaking distance to him. As long as things were being cordial, Erik felt it an opportune time to ask Raoul about Christine as he had known her since she had been a toddler. Of course he himself had known her since she had come to the opera house at the age of seven but he wished to know of her very first days. It did bother him that there were things about her Raoul knew and he did not. Silly or not that is how he felt.

Raoul painted a picture of a very contented little girl. One adored by her mother and father until her mother died. She had become a little more withdrawn then but for the most part had remained a happy child. Her flights of fancy had been fueled by her father's fantastic stories. The man had convinced her that the world had been filled with more than just human occupants. There were angels sent to earth to protect and guide humanity as well as fairies and other supernatural beings.

Nightly Gustave would tell Raoul and Christine of these fascinating creatures. Their world had been more fantasy than fact at that time. Gustave seemed to find the real world too harsh for either him or his daughter and had retreated into that fantasy world as a way to cope with the loss of his wife. He did not take into consideration the damage he did to his daughter.

Christine had been ill-prepared for the loss of her father. In her mind he would return to her in one form or another. So ingrained had the stories been for Christine that she had been ripe for someone like Erik to enter her life with ease. Raoul had not meant his observation to unsettle Erik and he quickly apologized. Erik brushed his apology aside as he knew well how he had manipulated Christine's young mind. His shame for that would haunt him for some time.

Demetri had joined Raoul and Erik to act as a buffer if things got out of hand but they seemed ready to each admit their faults as well as point out the others strengths. All the things Demitri knew of Erik painted him as a murderous madman. The man before him held no relation to that man. If he did not know of Erik's past he may well have thought Erik came from some prominent family. He had a few rough edges still but many men who had acquired wealth the honest way had no idea of how to act among the snobbish nobility, most of them being born to wealth and privilege.

All things aside Demetri preferred to judge a man by what he knew of his present. The past did hold relevance to the future but it did not set in stone a man's destiny. A man could change if he wished to do so. In his opinion Erik wanted more than anything to be a man of honor in Christine's eyes. The rest of the world could go to hell.

He would play the game just as the rest of them did but honestly Demetri could not see Erik caring if the world thought him worthy or not. Perhaps while underneath tons of opera house rubble Erik had cared even craved those people's acceptance. Now he needed only one woman's approval to feel a man.

As the days past Demetri observed Erik and Raoul. He concluded they were not so different really. Both needed the love of a woman to feel whole. They were men who needed to be needed, wanted and loved. Alone they were only half alive.

Erik could not remember a time in his life he had been as happy as he felt in those days he courted Christine. His romantic nature that had only been able to be expressed in the furnishings of his home and his music were allowed to manifest themselves in actual romantic gestures.

Christine felt as if a gentle wind had come along lifting her feet off the ground. She felt as if she walked on air. The smallest things seemed of monumental importance when shared with Erik. Things she had not taken notice of before they explored and examined together. Nothing seemed insignificant.

Their nights were becoming increasingly affectionate. It had become harder to call a halt to their kisses. They had even indulged in a few very improper caresses. Erik had to say he had been shocked as well as pleased when Christine had unbuttoned his shirt so she could explore the flesh on his chest. He had nearly died from the excruciating pleasure knowing he must keep his own hands safely placed at her waist. Damned if she did not foil his good intentions. Surely she did not know how much danger her innocence had been in as she took his hand to place it on her breast. His hand had shook like a leaf in the wind. He had been more than nervous, he had been terrified.

He had never touched her in this way. Yes, he had wickedly used her hand to glide over her breasts and imagined them as his own when he had taken her to his home. Even in the performance of Don Juan Triumphant his hands had not been directly touching her other than her arm and hand until he caressed her neck and fingered her soft hair.

Those caresses had been in his dreams since she had left him and now he touched her by her instigation. Holding his eyes with hers, Christine undid one button at a time. She felt no shame to let him see her bared flesh.

Christine wanted to see all of Erik. She would never again take his mask from him or even ask him to do so. She would make it clear that it did not disturb her or sicken her to think of seeing him. The choice would be his own to bare his face or not. She knew what the mask hid. She had touched every malformed inch as she kissed him. She felt now that she had been trying to memorize him through touch. She would convince him that she saw his flaws but that he had so much more beauty about him it did not matter to her.

Erik inhaled sharply as he felt Christine's soft flesh touching the palm of his hand. She pulled his head down for a kiss. Feeling as if some restraining chains had been let loose Erik took her lips passionately.

He kneaded the flesh in his palm. Christine's hand covered his own to press him harder against her. After tonight he could have no lingering doubts how she felt about him. She would give freely all that he would take. To his credit Erik did manage to hold onto his sanity. Before they crossed the threshold into an area better left to after they were committed in God's eyes, Erik pulled back breathing heavily.

He tried to explain his withdrawal but need not have worried. Christine stopped his rambling explanation. She too would not want to take things too far. All she had intended had been for him to know she would be willing to go further if he wished. Nothing mattered more to her than Erik's happiness. He could not put how he felt into words at her admission so he took her by the hand to lead her to the music room. There he played the notes that would express his emotions to her.

Everyone had been drawn to the music room when they heard Erik playing. Such a hauntingly beautiful melody filled the air. The music seemed to wrap them in love, warmth and supreme caring. This music cherished the listener. There could be no doubt that the composer felt deep abiding love for the one he composed these notes for into a melody.

Christine could not help the tears sliding down her cheeks. Erik had reached deeply inside of her with every note he played. He had warmed every cold corner that had remained within her. He had driven out every remnant of fear from her heart and mind. With his music he claimed her openly. He declared his love for the world to hear in every note.

Stunningly it came to her that while she had been rather zealous responding to Erik she had not given him the words he must surely wish to hear. Knowing how her lack of verbal commitment might look to him she vowed to make sure to tell him in many different ways how she felt. Physical demonstrations would accompany her verbal declarations. If she had anything to do with it Erik's head would be swimming with lustful thoughts just as her were on a constant basis once the gates had been opened by their first kiss. And show him she did. So much so that he could never have a moment he did not feel her love for him in every glance and touch. With time they seemed to become so in sync as to seem to share one heart, mind and soul.

Had there ever been such a love such as Erik and Christine? The Phantom of the Opera and Christine Daaé? Had two star-crossed lovers ever come through such horrible trials to reunite for eternity? At last a lonely tortured Phantom had found redemption in the eyes of the one who counted most in his world.

**A/N: Not the end just yet. A few more chapters to tidy things up. **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I am so glad I had this story finished before my personal life took a turn for the worse. I don't know if I could produce any happily ever after at the moment. Read and enjoy. There is still a bit more to come. **

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Proposals**

After the night of Erik's impromptu performance, the matter of if Erik and Christine were to be married had been settled. Now it remained a matter of when. Antoinette kept her opinion to herself but the nuptials could not come quickly enough for her as she had seen how the couple looked at one another and had not missed the quick retreats by the two after meals. They only spent time with the others during meals and afternoon tea. A time or two Christine had come to the table flushed with her hair sticking out at odd angles and Erik had either taken to wearing red lip color or the two had shared a few passionate kisses. The huge smile that Erik could not contain did give away what had gone on before they had joined the others.

As much as everyone took it for granted they would marry, Erik had not asked the question. His stomach roiled each time he attempted to speak of such things as marriage and forever. His life had not given him the notion of a forever when in relation to happiness. Pain could be forever. Loneliness could be forever. Hate could be forever. Love had always been an elusive emotion until Christine.

Happiness he knew could be fleeting. What if he asked the question, she accepted, then something happened? His mind could not yet grasp the fact that happiness could not be guaranteed. Everyone did their best to retain their happiness but some things cannot be controlled. Living life was taking chances daily.

Christine had begun to think Erik had changed his mind. Antoinette being wise and knowing how Erik saw most things told her what she believed to be Erik's problem. Crystal reinforced that notion with what little she had learned of Erik over the last year. The man had been made of contradictions and the belief all good things would end if he managed to find something good in his life.

His experience with Christine had reinforced that belief whether or not that had been her intention. Erik thought anything good would be snatched from his hands if he showed too much pleasure. He had the idea God had cursed him for something and thus would never let him have anything which pleased him. His music he had seen as a blessing and a curse as he created heavenly compositions which no one heard.

Christine went through the motions of her day. She answered questions and even managed to offer a few subjects of discussion that must have sounded sane as everyone continued on as if nothing were amiss. She and Erik took every opportunity to be together almost to the point of rudeness. Passionate exchanges were not a problem. What concerned her most was Erik's lack of trust in her or his own feelings.

How did one go about reassuring a man that things would turn out alright even if you did not altogether believe it yourself? Christine's life had been nowhere near as horrid as Erik's but life had dealt her wounding blows a time or two. The only things one could be sure of was one day you would die and that the day would end bringing another dawning day as the world turned on its axis. Life and death. The two were inevitably related.

Christine could see no clear way to convince Erik they must take their chances in life just as everyone else did. To be this close to having the love of her life and not be able to have him completely had her racking her brain for a solution. Perhaps she could…no, that would be too cruel. Wouldn't it? If it made him realize he could lose her without anything major happening would it not persuade him to grab on and hold tight?

That evening as they strolled through the garden she began her campaign. She crossed her fingers she did not do irreparable damage to him. She would never forgive herself if she did. They sat on their usual bench. As on every other night she had been the one to take his hand in hers. Swallowing with difficulty she gathered her courage around her to begin trying to make him see life needed to be lived despite the "what ifs" and "should have dones" that plagued everyone.

"Erik I am going away. I cannot be here with you and wonder every day if something will come along and take you from me." She sniffled for effect. Glancing sideways at him she could see she had his complete attention. He looked more than shocked. He looked scared to death. She felt a niggle of pity but could not let him deter her from what needed to be done for his own good.

"Going…going away? You…what…you never said…what has happened? Perhaps I might come too? I can help if something troubles you." Erik felt as if a stone of a hundredweight had settled on his shoulders pressing him down.

"No Erik you can not help me. It is you I need to get away from. I can't stop thinking something will happen to take you from me. I couldn't bear it, I just couldn't." By now Christine's tears were real. Just speaking about another separation tore her up inside even if it were only pretend.

"Nothing will take me from you. Only death will ever separate us again." Erik tried to sound reassuring even as his own doubts resounded in his head.

"Why risk it? No, I simply cannot. It is too much to ask of me." Piteously she laid her head on his chest soaking his shirt with her tears.

"But if you leave that will separate us, will that not be just as painful without any just cause?" Now Erik would try reasoning. In his own mind he marshaled his reasons they should not part.

"Yes I…I suppose that is so." Christine smoothed her hands over his chest persuasively.

Distracted by her wandering hands Erik tried to speak rationally. "We…you and I…we belong together." Erik felt his throat tightening with his emotions. Tears were not far away.

"Yes we belong together but what about…what if something happens?"

"Christine, we are only guaranteed today, this moment. No one can say for certain what will come. We cannot live our life based on what might happen." She lifted her head sniffing loudly. Tears streaked down her cheeks. He felt his heart contract with her pain.

"So we should take what we can out of life when we can?"

"Yes! Exactly. At least we will have whatever time God sees fit to grant us. We can make every day a wondrous adventure. Will you marry me Christine?"

He had not meant to blurt the question out so suddenly or with so little finesse, but now that he had spoken them out loud he wondered why he had hesitated so long.

Christine rubbed her eyes with her fingers. Not having a handkerchief, she wiped her dripping nose on her sleeve, not her most elegant moment. Erik did not seem to notice or care if he did. His attention had focused on her eyes.

"Yes. A thousand times yes. I will marry you Erik. I will marry you tonight, tomorrow or any day you care to name. I want to be your wife more than anything I can think of at the moment."

Throwing caution to the wind Erik scooped her up into his arms kissing her roughly. The time for tender kisses would come later once his hunger for her had been appeased. From her response she felt much the same. Erik held nothing back this time. He let her feel everything he felt inside. There would be no mistaking whether or not he wanted to be married to her. He would put his brand on her even before he would place a ring on her finger. Lifting his head away Erik drew in a deep breath. Christine's breath mingled with his own. Neither could speak at the moment. They let their eyes say it all.

Christine wanted him. She wanted him as a woman wants the man she loves. Wrong or right she did not care. If he asked it of her she would lead him to her room this very night. Erik being a little more sensible knew that to take her up on the offer he saw in her eyes would bring down Antoinette's wrath as well as everyone else's. He would do this the right way. Not only because it was what others expected but what Christine deserved. He wanted their first time to be special. Not knowing the ins and outs they may stumble and fumble a little but at least they would be doing it together. Neither of them would have any previous experience to be jealous of.

To think that Raoul had Christine for almost two years and had resisted her charms would double Erik's pleasure once he had claimed her as his wife in every sense of the word. Knowing the possibility of a child could be the end result of such an encounter, Erik would not have it said any child of his had been conceived on the wrong side of the blanket.

Once they had wed he would have plenty of time to worry about a child of his loins inheriting his misfortune. Children had not been given much consideration in Erik's former life as he had never thought to have need to worry about the issue. He would not forgo the pleasure of lying with Christine out of fear that he might pass on the curse God had visited on him while still in his mother's womb.

As he had been doing of late Erik deposited this subject into a compartment in his mind for study later. Panic once again began to take hold of him. What did he know of being a husband? It had only been recently that he began living as a man. Christine had learned to read Erik pretty well these past few weeks. She could see the worry in his eyes which manifested in deep lines in his forehead.

Smoothing her finger softly over his wrinkled forehead she said, "Don't worry so Erik. Everything will be fine. I know no more than you how things will turn out. We will have one another for support. We don't have to do things alone any longer. We will now do everything together. I trust you with not a single doubt that you will take care of me and love me just as I shall love and take care of you."

Never to be alone again, to share life's burdens with another, to have the love of a woman for always, someone to share the passing hours of the day then retreat to the privacy of their room. All of these things he could barely grasp as being within his reach. His angel had made this possible. By her mercy and love his angel had saved him once again.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Planning**

If Erik thought it would be a simple matter of finding a priest to wed him and Christine, he now realized his error. Everyone protested any hurried exchange of vows with no one to stand and witness their nuptials. When it looked as if he might never stand beside Christine to exchange vows he gave in to everyone's insistence that a proper wedding must be arranged.

Considering how close he and Christine came to anticipating the marriage bed every evening he admitted, at least to himself, that the sooner the vows were taken the better. One would think it would be Christine protesting any intimacies but any restraint had been left to Erik. Shamelessly Christine toyed with him trying to lure him to her bed.

He did not mind really other than it left him frustrated and ready to pull out the remainder of his hair to deny them both what they wanted. When they shared their first night of passion Erik wanted it to be with the blessing of all their friends and under God's watchful eye. Although Christine took pleasure in playing the temptress he had the notion she too would rather they not take that final step until they were wed. Her attempts to lure him into losing control he thought had more to do with her testing her skills as a seductress. Under Antoinette's watchful eye she had been kept an innocent long past the time other girls began to explore their sexuality and flirtatious natures. Erik found he rather liked this bold new woman he had unleashed. In the end he would be the one to reap the benefits of what Christine discovered during this time of learning.

It irritated him a bit to have to defer to others on matters concerning himself and Christine. If he wanted to live amongst humanity he supposed he would have a need to observe their rules. Christine praised him readily whenever he did something she considered to be beyond common courtesy. More and more he found himself thinking of others needs before his own.

He had never had to think of anyone else's wants and needs before. Rather than being overly concerned he found it pleasant to have others he could seek an opinion from. Yes they irritated him but they also made him feel as if he belonged. Much to his amazement and pleasure they had consulted him on a few matters as well. Families worked in that way. One sought advice another offered their opinions and experience. There was not any need for anyone to ask for help, assistance would be offered wherever they saw a need.

Erik had thought Christine had lost her mind when she informed him she wished for Raoul to give her away. It seemed ludicrous to Erik for his one time rival to hand over his past love during a ceremony of such profound meaning to her new love. A book had not been written with such a convoluted plot. Who would believe it anyway? Erik could hardly grasp it himself. Not holding any real grudge against Raoul he supposed Christine would want Raoul to be a part of her wedding more than a mere spectator. She had no male relatives and Raoul's father would not be present. Demitri she did not really know. Raoul seemed a likely choice.

If not for Raoul he and Christine may not have been reunited. Quite pleasantly Christine had proven she had no feelings for Raoul other than that of what one might feel for a brother. Erik did not feel the burning jealousy in the pit of his stomach when Christine and Raoul found themselves alone in a corner carrying on a conversation. Part of his ease he had to concede came from the fact that Crystal would filet Raoul then roast him over an open pit if he so much as gave her one gray hair from worrying about his fidelity. From the besotted looks those two exchanged everyone else would be lucky to get even a nod in greeting.

Erik considered he could tolerate the man for the time it took to wed Christine. Would he not be riding away with the prize in the end? For damn certain Erik knew he would not be able to hand Christine over then witness the vows being exchanged if the roles were reversed. More likely he'd strangle Raoul then whisk Christine away to some hideaway until he convinced her to love him.

He had let them go once thinking he sent them away toward a life of happiness. At the time it had been the best thing for everyone. He did not know where he had gotten the strength to do it but could thank God now that he had. He had needed that time to grow as a man and regain some of his humanity. The state he had been in before he would have been no good to himself or Christine. His mind had been griped by madness. All the most powerful emotions such as love, hate, jealousy, envy and more had churned within him distorting his grip on reality. The horrid life he had suffered in childhood and the consequent years of solitude had driven him to do what he had. It was not an excuse for his behavior but it was a reason for what happened.

He could now say he had a better outlook on life. Now he felt he could handle adversity with a clearer head. There would be times he might slip back into his old ways of striking out first before someone could hurt him but felt with Christine's calming, loving presence beside him he could take on the world.

Christine wanted a simple ceremony with only a little fuss to make this day different from any other. For her when Erik placed the ring on her finger, that would be the defining moment of the day. Whatever came before or after were merely incidentals. She had sought out Madame as the wedding night had been weighing heavily on her mind. She had lost her mother long before such a conversation had been needed and when she had come to live with Madame it had been taken for granted she supposed that things had been explained to her.

Her first cycle had been a frightening experience to say the least. If not for Meg, Christine would have stayed in the chapel preparing to die. Meg hadn't known much more than she had. Her mother had at least been able to relay that bit of information to Meg while withholding any further explanations for what lay ahead for them as women.

Madame had never been one for speaking of such personal issues in the past. The night before Crystal, Meg and Christine had met in Christine's room for some woman to woman conversation. It had soon become apparent what they did not know about men and what they expected on their wedding night could fill the opera house. Kissing they thought they had conquered. What came after left them anxious and fearful. Christine had confessed to practicing her skills of seduction on Erik. God bless him for understanding and not taking advantage of her.

Making matters worse they had related horror stories they had heard over the years from the older girls in the ballet corps. Crystal had her own horror stories from listening to the women she worked beside tell tales of their husbands that would deter anyone from wanting to engage in any intimacies whatsoever. Knowing how they felt for the men holding their interest they could not relate such ugly feelings to anything they had experienced with their own lovers.

Soon the conversation headed in the direction of speculation and comparisons. They ended up laughing as well as still wondering just what would come next. Meg and Crystal had blushed fiery red when they related their own passionate exchanges with Dimitri and Raoul. The three had to conclude that if what came after felt anything like what they already had felt they just might die from the ecstasy.

Christine had sought out Madame hoping to speak frankly about what would be expected on her wedding night. Madame had turned several shades of red but had struggled through the relaying of pertinent information. The way Madame described what was to come sounded more appealing than what they had heard in the opera house. Madame had gone all dreamy eyed when she recalled her own wedding night with Meg's father.

In the end Christine concluded unless one had led a life of debauchery a couple's first time together would be a learning experience. How good or bad it would be depended on how willing they were to explore together as well as being honest about what they wanted from the other.

Madame had not gone into specifics but had told Christine that neither men nor women went into a relationship knowing everything about the other. Even men of experience and women as well could learn something from their partner. To have a successful relationship both sides needed to be willing to listen to the other meeting their needs as best as they could, not only in the privacy of the bedroom but in all areas of their life.

If Christine worried about their wedding night Erik obsessed about it constantly. He had thought the issue had been laid to rest in his mind but the closer the day of the wedding came the more agitated he became. He knew next to nothing about a woman and her needs. Likely one touch from Christine and she would know him for the inexperienced man he was. Had he not confessed that very thing to her while he held her captive?

Now Erik wished he had paid greater attention to those men and women making love all over the opera house. He had not wanted to add voyeur to his list of crimes so had turned a blind eye as best as he could. It had also served to curb his own lustful thoughts not to encounter couples engaging in intimacies. It had been hard enough to tamp down his lust as he grew into manhood. At times he felt as if the lest thing would set off a flash flood of desires which could only end in one way. He would seek his pleasure from some unsuspecting woman. He had not wanted that.

In order to control his urges he had rarely allowed himself the self-indulgence of self-pleasuring. At times he had given in but by and large he had been able to restrain that beast behind a wall of controlled indifference. If he pretended it did not concern him he could at times use his music as his passionate release. He had counted himself above such lustful longings when he concluded there would never be a fair maiden to assuage those urges. Once Christine caught his lustful gaze the beast had awoken with a vengeance.

Now the time was at hand when he must curb the beast again or forever be seen as a lecherous beast in Christine's eyes. One who could not meet her needs as a man should. He felt certain Raoul or Demitri could offer advice but he would sooner cut off both arms than ask such a thing of them. He had just started to believe himself to be worthy to be called a man. To denigrate himself in Raoul's eyes in that manner would take what little positive self-image he had away.

He might be older than those boys who entered marriage as virgins, but they all faced the same challenge. Learning had always been Erik's particular area of expertise. His decision to read books had already given him an inkling of how things worked. Raoul's library had been quite informative. It would seem his father had hopes of Raoul one day becoming a physician. He had purchased many medical books as well as published works on many varied subjects, human anatomy being a prominent one.

Knowledge along with instinct would have to see Erik through as he had no experience to draw from other than the many kisses and a few stolen caresses with Christine. From their responses to one another they did not have a problem with being attracted to one another. They quickly went from loving kisses to nearly devouring one another's mouths. In their many exchanges Erik had learned that Christine particularly liked for him to pay attention to her bosom. Thus far only his hands had become on intimate terms with that part of her anatomy. On the wedding night Erik vowed to learn his bride with his mouth as well.

The night before the ceremony Antoinette insisted Christine and Erik should not reside in the same house. It seemed ridiculous to Erik but he could do little as he had no idea what customs were appropriate for men and women before marriage. He had waited this long he could wait a few hours more to claim his woman. The pouting lips of Christine as she climbed into the carriage had let him know she felt no more pleased than he to be separated.

Raoul had sent the women to another of his estates. This one was even further from Paris. It was the summer home of the de Chagny's. In recent years it had not been used. Knowing it would be in disarray Raoul sent several servants ahead to clean everything while the place aired out. It was on the coast so they could take advantage of the beach and swimming.

The remaining staff would close up the estate the men were occupying in a couple of days. The family priest would be sent a telegram informing of the impending nuptials. Of course Erik and Christine must met with Father Damien before he performed any ceremony but that would be merely a formality.

Certain things could be overlooked with the right incentive. Father Damien was an honest man but he was not above a little larceny if it put food on a poor man's table or clothes on a orphaned child's back. The church in Rome did not see the needs of the destitute in small villages so far away.

Erik's shame for not having any proper papers of birth had been handled with extra care by Raoul and the others. Not one word had been spoken about his lack of parents or a legitimate surname.

Raoul offered up his family's name as a guarantee that Erik was not a wanted man. Since no one had seen any reward posters of late they felt their consciences were clear. For all they knew the Opera Ghost could have been exonerated due to the outcry from sympathetic Parisians.

The strange turn Erik's life had taken still baffled him even as he felt gratitude for having this second chance. Before God today he would swear to love and honor Christine. He could do that by not trying to chain her to him. He must learn to let her be free to come and go wherever she pleased trusting she would always come home to him.

True love did not stifle and smother, it allowed for freedom and growth. Erik had not understood that before. Watching the others he had learned that love bound people with invisible threads. Trust perhaps was the cornerstone for any relationship. Erik knew he could trust Christine with his very soul. In her hands he would at last feel whole, as if he had come home.

The trip toward Erik's future he did not even mind sharing with Raoul and Demitri. Contrary to what he expected he and Raoul found many subjects to discuss on the journey. A lot had to do with Demitri bringing up things he knew would hold his cousin's interest.

It shamed Erik somewhat to have thought Raoul only a rich noble caring for nothing but his own pleasure. He possessed generosity, gallantry, consideration and loyalty to those around him. All the qualities Erik did not possess or rather had not possessed until Raoul afforded him this second chance for a normal life.

A man may change how he spends his future while not being able to change anything about his past. Erik vowed he would become the man Christine deserved, the man she told him she saw in him. He must have something he did not see when he looked in the mirror or searched his soul for Christine to love him. She would not tie herself to someone with an eternally damned soul.

When they arrived servants stood at the ready to take their bags as they showed them where they would be sleeping. The women were in the West wing of the house. A grand ballroom separated the two wings. No one need see anyone from the opposite side of the house unless they wished to do so.

Erik did not protest any of the things that he had to take in stride as he knew it pleased Christine to have some semblance of pageantry to her wedding. She may not want anything grand but that did not mean she wanted nothing of grandeur at all. Everywhere one looked in the garden servants were decorating. After the ceremony in the de Chagny chapel a reception would be held in Raoul's garden.

Only briefly did Raoul think that this could have been for him and Christine. Catching sight of Crystal's excited face as she and Meg arranged a vase of flowers he smiled feeling his heart swell with love. He and Christine had had a narrow escape. Because of what had happened in Paris over a year ago six people had come together to find happiness. Perhaps that had been God's design all along. If Erik hadn't been so accepting of the fact no one would ever look on him in a positive light things might have gone as they were supposed to. Who can say though how things would have gone? He might have seen Christine that night and still thought he had fallen in love with her only to discover years later he had not.

Shaking off these useless what ifs Raoul took the stand that he would live for the here and now. At this moment he had a beautiful woman who loved him and he loved in return. He had brought Christine and Erik back together while coincidentally leading his cousin Demitri to meet and fall in love with Meg.

All things considered the world looked pretty rosy for everyone. Whatever happened now would be up to the individuals involved. They had control of how they treated the one they hoped to share a life with.

All was right with the world.

**A/N: One last chapter to finish things up. I already have several finished stories and just need to deside which one to put up first. I have a couple Meg/Erik's I could post but not many enjoy that pairing as I do. I'll just have to see which one demands to be released the most. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

**Promises**

Erik stood in front of the alter with the priest casting nervous glances every so often toward him. The man probably knew who he was or at least had a suspicion. Raoul had spoken with the man so they may even have discussed his identity. Only the man's vows to God had kept him from running out of the room where he had met with Christine and Erik a few days prior to the wedding. After a few minutes of nervous conversation the man had calmed somewhat. Erik privately thought the man had come to the conclusion that he was not about to be murdered by a crazed lunatic. Christine's sweet nature and obvious love for her fiancée held some sway over the clergy's attitude.

During the counseling sessions Erik had been stared at more by the priest in those two hours than perhaps in all of his life. He must have answered all the man's inquiries correctly as permission had been granted for him and Christine to wed. If not for Christine's constant gentle touches during the question and answer session Erik felt he may well have done the man of cloth some harm.

Since no one had come to arrest him, Erik had to conclude Raoul had convinced the priest to keep silent. Being a longtime family friend as well as a religious councilor to the de Chagnys, Raoul had most likely persuaded the man of God that the man in the mask no longer posed a threat. Likely the outrageous donation from Raoul had added insentive to remain silent on the matter.

Erik cared for none of that. His only concern now was whether his legs would hold him up until the priest pronounced him and Christine man and wife. His nerves had been frayed for the last two weeks. So much had been happening that would forever change his life. He welcomed these changes as well as dreaded them in case they fell apart. He still held the belief in the back of his mind that something would come along and steal his happiness from him. He didn't feel deserving of such generosity. Gladly would he embrace this new life even as he anticipated its end.

His heart literally stopped when Christine came through the doors looking as if a white cloud carried her toward him. Her face had a thin veil that concealed her features from him. Someone played music in the background. Erik did not even have the wits to criticize the playing of the musician. His whole focus was on the vision coming toward him. If ever an angel walked the earth it would be named Christine.

Only when she stood beside him then took his hand within her own warm hand did he believe she was indeed alive and here beside him, not some ghostly dream his mind had conjured out of desperation. To further convince him she smiled with her painted lips that he could see just below the veil. Relief flooded throughout his body. He had not lost his sanity again. Christine's promises and professions of love were real. Until this very moment he had held some little bit of doubt that what he experienced had been nothing more than some dream. He had gone along with all the planning expecting to wake at any moment to find himself alone underneath the opera house as he realized the last year had been nothing but a dream his fevered mind had shown him to ease his pain.

The ceremony took on a surreal quality for Erik. He must have made all the correct responses as at last he heard the priest pronounce them man and wife. Even as he had slid the ring on her finger he had not believed this would last. Only when Christine took it upon herself to pull him down by his lapels did he shake off his doomsayer attitude. One touch of her lips on his own and Erik came alive. Nothing could bring him out of such dreary expectations better than a confirmation of life by Christine's lips touching his own responsive mouth.

The warmth of her spread from her lips then to the rest of him. His legs seemed to take a firmer stance. His hands which had a nervous twitch before now held her confidently against him. Christine made him believe. She had given him life. Now she would give him a future. By her love had he taken form as a man and not a ghost. No fantasy had ever been dreamed that could supass Erik's new reality.

If asked later Erik could not bring to mind anything that occurred during the reception. His only awareness had been for Christine. Later that night they retreated to the guest cottage. They would have privacy for as long as they required it. Raoul and the others would only stay a day or two then return to his estate. Soon he must return to hiw ancestral home to make certain things were in readiness for the return of his parents. he had sent them a letter informing them that if they wished to witness his nuptials they had best make the journey home.

He could only wait so long to make Crystal his own in every sense of the word. He imagined Dimitri had sent a similar letter to his own parents. They must be sure to coordinate the two weddings so that all could attend them both. The men were not adverse to a double ceremony but the women frowned when the suggestion had been put forth. Neither gentleman had wanted to begin their life with their brides on a sour note so two weddings it would be. The agreement between the two cousins was that whichever set of parents arrived first would be the couple to marry first. Crystal and Meg did not really care which wed first as long as they both had a ceremony that made them the wife of their intended.

Raoul would be leaving some of his staff to attend to the newly wed couple. Christine had blushed profusely when Crystal and Meg had suggested they may not have need of anyone to tend to their needs as they would be tending to certain needs on their own quite soon and if they knew anything about Erik it was that he was a man of passion.

Floating confetti followed Erik and Christine down the steps at the back of the house then on down the path for a short distance until Antoinette advised everyone that it might be best to leave the couple at this point. Now here they stood inside the cottage barely an inch away from the door opening. Neither had closed the door as if expecting the need for a quick exit. Wanting to be as normal as he could be Erik had lifted Christine to carry her over the threshold. Coming inside he had promptly knocked her head against the door. As he had set her down she had rubbed the side of her head reassuring him she felt fine. Her head ached terribly but she did not want to begin their life together as a complaining wife. Nor did she want him to think they must forgo any intimacies because of her pain.

Now here they stood looking into a room that should have felt welcoming but instead seemed like the wide open jaws of some beast ready to devour them. Erik had no clue what he should do or what he should say. His body knew all too well what it wanted but that beast would need to stay hidden until he and Christine felt more comfortable with one another. Frantically Erik tried to recall what he had read in all those books. For a man who could memorize a complete score in a matter of minutes he could now barely recall his own name.

Christine knowing they could not stay standing in the doorway walked over to the table holding a bottle of Champaign chilling in a bucket of ice. There were plates of savories laid out in a tempting display. Her stomach giving an unladylike growl reminded her she had not eaten since early morning. At the reception she had been too nervous to do more than peck at her food with her fork.

Turning to Erik she said, "I don't know about you but I am starving. I ate little as I had other things on my mind as you can imagine. Would you care to join me in the delicacies Raoul has so kindly provided?"

Erik agreed with alacrity. Anything would be better than standing in one place with his tongue seeming to have lost the ability to speak and his mind completely blank of any topics to discuss. Having seated Christine, Erik sat down himself across from her. He watched her hands as she filled his plate. How did something become so erotic when before it had been mundane?

Blessedly Christine took control of the conversation. She poised questions which he could answer thereby giving him an opening to add a comment of his own. Before long they were speaking companionably forgetting what lie ahead for a few minutes. The problem returned with a vengeance once the meal had been completed. They looked anywhere but at one another. Being able to stand no more Christine excused herself so she could ready herself for bed.

Erik took this opportunity to ready himself for bed as well. Not knowing the protocol for such things he sat on the side of the bed rather than lying down prone as if he awaited her to join him. Of course that was his intention but he did not wish to seem vulgar. He took the handkerchief from his pajama pocket to wipe away the now dripping perspiration from his face. He lifted the mask to wipe underneath of it as it now felt like a sauna underneath the leather. Holding the mask in his hands Erik wondered if he dared leave it off. She knew what he looked like. Had Christine not had a very close up and personal view of him on stage the night of Don Juan Triumphant?

He would be gambling everything on her ability to look upon his horrible face and not want to turn away in disgust. He debated the matter until he heard the click of the bathroom door. Tossing the mask aside Erik placed his hands on his knees with his head bowed for a moment. His hair he could do nothing about. Since the fire he had not worn a wig. His hair had grown longer so it covered much of the thinner side. The length ran past the bald spot at the right side of his head.

Self-consciously Erik rubbed his hand along the bare scalp underneath the longer strands of hair. As much as he craved to have Christine's hands touching him he also felt dread in case he disgusted her. His dread of everything he could not control was ruining what should be one of the most important nights of his life.

Erik felt Christine bump her knees against his. He could see her white sheer gown through the part in her robe. His breath caught in his throat at what he would see underneath that thin covering. He had to get a grip. If he asphyxiated himself he would miss all that would come next. When he felt Christine place her hands on his shoulders for a moment he thought this would be when he woke from his dream. He looked up into her smiling face. She had a blush coating her from her chest to her hairline but she did not shy away from his eyes.

He could feel the tremble in her hands touching his shoulders. If she could manage to do this much for him could he not go the extra mile to get them where they needed to be? Gently Erik encircled her waist. He pulled her between his legs. Having her so close to that which defined him as a man nearly gave him heart failure. He tried to calm himself as his heart felt as if it might burst through his chest.

Christine could feel the tension in Erik's shoulders beneath her hands. His silence along with the half frightened look that had been on his face might just have matched her own had she wanted to look closely in the mirror. Tonight would be a defining moment in their relationship. She would not let Erik feel as if he failed. All of his life he had struggled to be what society considered a man. Well society had failed to recognize his genius because his face did not meet their standards. After tonight Christine hoped Erik never had a single doubt about how she felt about him or how she saw him.

Tears came to her eyes as she realized he had removed his mask for her. She would not let her selfish tears fall. She had a man to please and please him she would. She knew next to nothing about what she should do but at least she knew they were not immune to one another. All those heated kisses and caresses had at least proven that. All she needed to do was give him a little encouragement. If they were willing to tell one another what felt right and what did not then perhaps things would work out.

Bending down Christine laid her lips gently against Erik's. Daringly she traced her tongue along his closed lips. He gasped letting her tongue enter his mouth.

Erik groaned as he pulled Christine tightly against him. His manhood now bulging at the seams of his pajamas pressed against her stomach. She could have no doubt how badly he wanted her.

Leaning back he dragged Christine down with him. She lay still for a moment then moved to the side pulling him across her. With their feet dangling down neither of them could be as close as they wanted or do what they wished.

Erik shoved his hands underneath her then lifted her up so he could place her on the bed. Sliding onto the bed with her Erik found himself lost for a moment in her beauty.

He traced the features of her face with wonder. How could someone so perfect love him? He would not be so foolish as to let his own worries keep him from joining them in spirit as well as body.

"I love you Christine. Whatever the future holds never doubt I love you."

Not knowing what brought about this confession at this moment Christine knew he wanted her to speak of her love for him aloud. Maybe he would always need her to say the words many times a day. If he needed that reassurance she could and would give it to him whenever he had the need.

"I love you Erik. I love everything about you. Never has my heart felt so complete or my soul so at peace. Whatever the future holds know that in this moment I give you all that I have to give with love in my heart."

From that moment no more words were needed as they found their way through the intricacies of first time lovers.

Many fumbles, chuckles and giggles later they had come through their first intimate moment both lying on their backs with smiles of wonder on their faces.

No book or overheard conversation could have prepared them for what they had just shared. Of course their had been pain on Christine's part that nearly drove Erik from the room even as his body demanded he finish what he had started.

Christine had calmed him. Encouraging him to continue he did so with reluctant strokes. Whispering in his ear she had told him the pain had eased and a strange pleasant sensation had taken its place.

As they spoke of what they did to one another the very words seemed to bring on an added rush of excitement. Christine very verbal words of encouragement nearly drove Erik over the edge before he wanted things to end.

Discovery of one another's pleasure points kept them occupied for some time. Neither seemed eager to end the journey too soon. If one felt the end coming near they would separate to lie facing one another exploring with their eyes while their hands remained still.

This pleasurable torture lasted far longer than Erik had expected himself to be able to hold back. He felt quite proud of his performance. If Christine's groans or words of encouragement were anything to base his prowess on, he had done well.

Erik felt blessed to have a woman who would allow him such liberties with her body. By the time they could hold off their climax no longer Erik had inspected Christine quite thoroughly. She had done her own inspecting which had at first made him nervous lest she find something she could not bear to see.

She had kissed every scar that told of some wound he had suffered throughout his life. When she found the first cluster of old scars from a whip she had demanded he show her every single one.

Her lips upon his flesh forever healed any lingering pain those wounds gave him where his memories were concerned. From tonight onward all he would recall would be Christine's warm, soft lips pressed against his damaged skin with a healing caress from her to each and every one.

Erik could now say he definitely felt like other men, perhaps even more so than some. Christine gave him back his humanity. Their love had made him a man in his eyes. Together they would build a life many only dream of.

**A/N: I could have made a prologue but for this one story I felt it best to leave that to the imagination of each reader what they invision for Erik and Christine after their wedding night. I loved the romance of Erik and Christine during the movie and hoped until the very end she would turn back to him. I knew from the book and the play that she did not end with Erik. I guess watching the movie several times opened my eyes to the possibility of Erik finding someone and being happy with that person. His love for Christine had been too new and fragile to be sustained for eternity if another possibility presented itself. I like to think Erik did not suffer unrequited love all his life so for me it is a pleasure to always give him someone. This time it was Christine. Maybe I'll find another Christine and Erik pairing in me but not for a while. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed faithfully and read my offerings. It has been a pleasure to share what I write and I will be posting another story in a couple of days. Thanks all.**


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